If there were any concerns from Denver Broncos fans about quarterback Bo Nix‘s health, they had to be happy on Friday night.
Nix saw his first game snaps since breaking his ankle in a divisional playoff game last season. He was held out of last week’s preseason opener due to the Falcons’ artificial turf playing surface. And Nix looked totally healthy, and happy with a brand new target in receiver Jaylen Waddle.
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The way Nix’s season ended led to questions about how he would look upon his return, but Nix has said there are no lingering issues with his ankle. It looked that way on his first pass attempt, when he escaped the rush to roll to his right and throw to Courtland Sutton. Sutton was just out of bounds so the pass was incomplete, but what mattered most was seeing Nix move well out of the pocket.
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) warms up before a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Then Nix had a couple of nice completions on the first drive. He hit Waddle for 35 yards over the middle on third-and-5 to keep a drive alive. The Broncos traded a first-round draft pick to the Dolphins this offseason for Waddle, and he is going to be a big part of the offense this season.
Then to finish the drive, Nix had a nice pass on a wheel route to running back RJ Harvey for a 21-yard touchdown.
Nix stayed in for a second drive that lasted into the second quarter. The Broncos got a field goal, and after that Nix was replaced. He finished 6-of-9 for 76 passing yards.
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Nix’s last game was a divisional playoff win over the Bills. It was one of the strangest postgame scenes in recent NFL history, as Broncos head coach Sean Payton returned to the media room to announce that Nix had a broken ankle, would have surgery and would not play in the AFC championship game. The Broncos lost the AFC title game to the Patriots with Jarrett Stidham at quarterback.
The way the Broncos’ season ended left them wondering what might have happened had their quarterback not injured himself late in that Bills game. Denver has most of the pieces back from last season’s team that went 14-3, but none of that would matter if Nix isn’t healthy.
Now that everyone has seen Nix look good in game action, Denver is ready for the regular season.
