The Broncos have the best defense in football and an up-and-coming star at quarterback. So which surprise player is their X-factor?

"He’s always been a good resource, someone that has seen a lot of football," Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Adam Gase.

Bo Nix was a very pleasant surprise during his NFL rookie year. However, he needs the help of good players to help him produce. One of those players just got a boost from the Denver Broncos office.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was ranked the No. 64 player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2025. The signal-caller is setting his sights higher.

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That’s life as a nickel in the NFL. In today’s game, it’s a premium position and a unique one at the same time.

With evaluators often comparing Nix to Drew Brees, the success seemed inevitable in hindsight. Brees had a Hall of Fame-worthy career across 15 seasons with the New Orleans Saints, who were coached by Sean Payton, now Nix’s coach with the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos have a young running back stable, with the sixth-year J.K. Dobbins currently atop the depth chart. The veteran is followed by rookie second-round RJ Harvey, and incumbents Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson.