Can Broncos sign a free-agent quarterback to replace injured Bo Nix?

The Denver Broncos delivered devastating news following their divisional round victory over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, with the team revealing quarterback Bo Nix had suffered an injury that will end his season.

Nix came down with a broken bone in his ankle that will require surgery, and head coach Sean Payton confirmed the second-year signal-caller will miss the remainder of the playoffs.

Now, the Broncos will be forced to rely on backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham in the AFC Championship Game, which obviously isn't ideal, especially considering Stidham hasn't thrown a regular-season pass in the NFL since 2023.

Despite all that, Payton remains confident in his QB2.

"Stiddy is ready to go,'' Payton said. "He's ready, he's ready. I feel like I've got a two who's capable of starting for a number of teams and I know he feels the same way. Watch out, just watch.''

Can Broncos sign a free-agent quarterback?

Yes, the Broncos are able to sign a free-agent quarterback, even in the midst of the playoffs.

Of course, if the Broncos took that route and signed a quarterback off the street to start, they'd have to get said quarterback in quickly to have as much time as possible to get acclimated with a new team.

While difficult, we've seen it done before, and most recently with the Indianapolis Colts and Philip Rivers, who came off the couch after five years away and played pretty well considering the circumstances. There is a caveat to that, though, as Rivers already had experience in that offense.

The current options in free agency might not be any better than what the Broncos have right now.

You're looking at a list that includes guys like Nate Sudfeld, Taylor Heinicke, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Clayton Tune.

One somewhat high-profile name out there is Ryan Tannehill, but the former Tennessee Titans signal-caller has been unofficially retired for two seasons.

So, while a likely and exciting potential option for the Broncos, it's not realistic to expect Denver will sign someone in free agency to play in their most important contest of the season.

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