Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a debut to forget.
Nix struggled throughout the game in today’s 26-20 loss to the Seahawks, completing almost exclusively short passes and never threatening the defense downfield, looking very much like the first-time starter he is.
A fourth quarter Broncos possession ended when Nix threw a particularly terrible interception with three Seahawks defenders in the area. Nix did use his legs to lead a touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.
Nix completed 26 of 42 passes for 138 yards, with no touchdowns and two interceptions, and also ran five times for 35 yards and a touchdown.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith wasn’t great, but other than an early interception he did enough not to lose the game, and he also scored a touchdown on a career-long 34-yard run. Seattle running back Kenneth Walker topped 100 rushing yards and looked explosive with the ball in his hands.
The Seahawks have to be pleased with the win, but they also have to know they won’t benefit from many opposing quarterbacks playing as badly as Nix played today.
The Broncos have to be concerned, as Year Two with Sean Payton and Year One with Nix is off to a rough start.
Here’s something you don’t see every day: Denver has scored two safeties in the second quarter of today’s game at Seattle.
The first safety came early in the second quarter, when the Seahawks were backed up at their own 1-yard line and guard Anthony Bradford was called for holding in the end zone.
Then, late in the second quarter, the Seahawks again had the ball on their own 1-yard line, and running back Zach Charbonnet was hit in the end zone and tackled just short of getting the ball across the goal line.
The last time a team scored two safeties in one game was in 2017, when the Dolphins did it against the Broncos.
The Broncos have a 10-9 lead just before halftime on the strength of two safeties and two field goals. The Seahawks have scored a field goal, and a touchdown on a 34-yard Geno Smith run, after which they failed on the two-point conversion. It’s been a strange game in Seattle.
Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix will have fullback Mike Burton and wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey available to him in Sunday’s debut against the Seahawks.
The Broncos elevated Burton and Humphrey from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game at Seattle.
Each week, teams can elevate up to two players from the practice squad to the active roster to play in that week’s game. Players can be elevated at most three times in a season.
Burton is one of the Broncos’ top special teams players and will also likely get some snaps at fullback. Humphrey provides solid depth in the receiving corps and caught 13 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns last season for the Broncos.
With Nix making the first start of his career, the Broncos are six-point underdogs on the road against the Seahawks in the opener, which is a 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff.
Wide receiver Tyler Lockett is listed as questionable to face the Broncos on Sunday, but it doesn’t sound like there’s any concern about him missing the game.
Lockett was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but his thigh injury was doing well enough for him to fully participate on Friday. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said after practice that all went well in practice and that he thinks the veteran will be in the lineup.
“Tyler looks good,” Macdonald said, via the team’s website. “We expect him to play, he’s been limited all week, but I expect him to be out there.”
Edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu (knee) and tight end Pharoah Brown (foot) were both officially ruled out on Friday. Both players have missed multiple weeks with their injuries.
Kadarius Toney might be a little closer to finding another team.
Per Field Yates of ESPN, Toney had a tryout on Friday with the Browns.
Toney previously had a visit with the Seahawks earlier this week.
Cleveland’s receiving corps is currently led by Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and Elijah Moore. But Toney could provide the group with a little more depth.
Toney was waived by the Chiefs after the team was unable to find a trade partner. He caught 27 passes for 169 yards with one touchdown last season in 13 games.
Geno Smith’s contract runs through 2025, but the Seahawks quarterback has no guaranteed money left after this year.
He confirmed to beat reporters Wednesday that his representation approached the Seahawks about a contract extension this offseason.
“That’s true,” Smith said, via Michael-Shawn Dugar of TheAthletic.com. “That’s just normal business. Nothing wrong with that.”
The Seahawks, though, had no interest in an extension.
General Manager John Schneider said last week that he hasn’t discussed a new deal with Smith’s camp.
Smith, who turns 34 in October, signed a three-year, $75 million contract in March 2023 after he made the Pro Bowl and earned comeback player of the year honors. The Seahawks have a long-standing team policy of not extending contracts with multiple years remaining.
After he was hired as head coach, Mike Macdonald didn’t immediately commit to Smith as his starter. It was only after a trade for Sam Howell that Schneider confirmed Smith the team’s starter.
By not extending Smith, the Seahawks have flexibility to look in a different direction for a starter in the offseason. Or, if they are satisfied he is their long-term starter, they could extend him in the offseason.
It makes for a big year for Smith, who is 17-15 over the past two seasons with 7,906 passing yards, 50 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton said earlier this week that he’d let people know when he made a decision about the No. 2 quarterback behind Bo Nix and that word came from the Broncos on Wednesday.
The team released an updated depth chart for Sunday’s road game against the Seahawks and it shows that Jarrett Stidham is on the second rung. Zach Wilson is No. 3, which puts him on track to be inactive as the emergency quarterback this weekend.
Stidham seemed the likely choice for the role after he was Nix’s chief competition for the starting job this summer. Stidham also closed out last season as the starter in Denver.
Also of note on the depth chart is the inclusion of fullback Michael Burton and wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Both players are currently on the practice squad, so listing them suggests they will be elevated to take part in Sunday’s game.
Kadarius Toney may be closer to finding a new home.
After he was waived by the Chiefs last week, Toney took a free-agent visit with the Seahawks on Tuesday, via Field Yates of ESPN.
Toney, 25, played a key role in Kansas City’s victory over the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, but struggled mightily in the 2023 season. He had multiple drops lead to interceptions and did not appear in a game after the Chiefs’ victory over the Patriots in Week 15.
He finished 2023 with 27 receptions for 169 yards with one touchdown.
The No. 20 pick of the 2021 draft, Toney has 82 career catches for 760 yards with three touchdowns. He also has 21 carries for 119 yards with a TD and has averaged 7.0 yards on 17 punt returns.
If he joins the Seahawks, Toney could provide some depth for a receiving corps led by DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Tyler Lockett has missed more than two weeks with a leg injury, but the Seahawks receiver insists he will play in Sunday’s season opener.
“Unless you know something I don’t,” Lockett said.
Lockett, who was wearing a strap over his left knee Monday, did not play in the preseason and is unconcerned about his limited reps in training camp in a new offense. He called his absence precautionary.
“It was just some things that I needed to kind of get worked on and get fixed and they didn’t want me to kind of go out there and make things worse, or kind of put me out to where I’m in jeopardy of not being able to play in the season,” Lockett said, via Tim Booth of the Associated Press. “I think Mike [Macdonald] did a great job. The athletic training staff did a great job.”
Lockett is entering his 10th season, one of six players on the roster with at least 10 seasons experience. He is part of a wide receiver group that also includes DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo, giving new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb plenty of options.
“It’s been interesting because I think every three years I’ve had a new offensive coordinator and so it’s allowed me to approach the game different and it’s allowed me to see the game different and learn different ways and unique abilities to be able to use my skills to go out there and still try and do the same thing that I’ve been doing,” Lockett said.
Last season was the first season since 2018 that Lockett didn’t have 1,000 yards. He finished with 894 yards and five touchdowns on 79 receptions.
The Seahawks will wear their throwback uniforms in the season opener against the Broncos at Lumen Field on Sunday, the team announced Monday.
The throwbacks represent the importance of the 1990s for not only the organization but also the city of Seattle.
The Seahawks wore the uniforms in their inaugural season of 1976 through the end of the 2001 season. The uniform combination features the classic silver helmet, royal blue and apple green jerseys and silver pants.
The throwbacks made their debut last season in a Week 8 victory over the Browns at Lumen Field. The Seahawks pulled off a come-from-behind win over the Browns thanks to a late touchdown reception from Jaxon Smith-Njigba that put Seattle on top 24-20.
The Seahawks also wore them in a road game against the Cowboys last season.
The season opener will be the first of two times that the Seahawks will wear the throwback uniforms this year as they will be worn again when Seattle takes on the division rival 49ers on Thursday Night Football in Week 6 at Lumen Field.