Jarrett Stidham to start as Broncos QB in preseason opener against Indianapolis Colts

Jarrett Stidham is up first once again.

The sixth-year quarterback will start Denver’s preseason opener Sunday at Indianapolis, head coach Sean Payton confirmed after practice Friday.

The decision to start Stidham, the lone incumbent in the Broncos’ quarterback room, is not a surprise. In fact, it’s in line with how Payton has conducted the entire offseason. When OTAs began in May, Stidham had the first day with the first team, followed by rookie first-round draft pick Bo Nix and then 2021 first-round pick Zach Wilson. When minicamp started in June, Stidham had the first day. When training camp started? More of the same.

Nix will start the Broncos’ second preseason game, Aug. 18 at home against Green Bay, Payton said.

Sunday against Indianapolis, Stidham will play Phase 1, as Payton calls it — usually somewhere around 15-20 snaps depending on game flow — and then Nix will go second and Wilson third.

Payton said of the decision to start Stidham, “I just think right now, certainly he’s been here, his experience. Next week it’ll be Nix, but we’re focused on this game and I would say that it’s just where we’re at.”

The Broncos’ second-year head coach said Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in April’s draft, could end up getting the last drive of Phase 1 against the Colts.

“We just have to see where we’re at reps-wise,” Payton said. “There’s a little trick to it. Are we at Play 14 and the No.1s are still out there? It really depends on how the game unfolds.”

The biggest difference for Nix between the end of Phase 1 and the start of Phase 2 will be the offensive line. Payton indicated Friday that the Broncos will rotate multiple receivers, backs and tight ends through the opening phase.

On Thursday, offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi laid out the plan for the quarterbacks regardless of who is in the game or when.

“Just a clean operation and playing good football with the situation that’s presented to them,” he said. “There’s not a ton of game-planning that goes into these (preseason) games. You take a peek at the team you’re about to play, and really you’re picking your install plays that fit that team instead of like, ‘Hey, if we see this look we’re going to change this formation,’ or, ‘We’re going to add this route that we have in practice.’ You’re in there with a lot of different guys. The way that guys work together, it’s a little bit different than maybe during the season where you’re practicing with the same guys and you know who you’re throwing the routes to.

“There can be a little more uncertainty than a regular-season game. So handle all that, and make good decisions and take the plays that are there. If we call a bad play, make sure nothing bad happens. Just operate well with the conditions that are given.”

Nix is still expected to push Stidham for the starting job by Week 1 in Seattle, and it would be a moderate surprise if the rookie didn’t ultimately win the job. But Payton has stuck to giving Stidham first-team work for the first stanza of camp, so it follows that the plan would extend to at least the first preseason game.

“The second year in the system … things are coming more naturally to me within the system and that sort of thing,” Stidham said Wednesday before finding out he was starting the first preseason game. “I feel like training camp so far has been really good, just going back and forth every day, learning the guys.”

Payton said earlier this week that the coaching staff and personnel department were holding meetings Tuesday and Wednesday to talk through the roster and set the play plan for Indianapolis. Then offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said the staff finalized the plan Thursday afternoon. Payton also reiterated he expects most or all healthy starters to get at least some snaps in the game.