Named Week 1 starter Coach Sean Payton announced Wednesday that Nix will open the regular season as Denver's starting quarterback, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports. Impact Nix began the offseason in a competition with Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson for the starting gig, but after a strong preseason, he's officially primed to line up under center Week 1 on the road against Seattle. The 12th overall pick boasts five years of experience as a collegiate starter and could adapt to the speed of the NFL quicker than the typical rookie quarterback, especially given that his short-field accuracy makes him a perfect fit for Payton's offensive scheme. In last Sunday's preseason win over Green Bay, Nix completed eight of nine passes for 80 yards and a two-yard touchdown thrown to Tim Patrick. Per Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette, Payton hasn't yet decided whether Nix and the starters will play in Sunday's exhibition finale against Arizona.
AUGUST 21 • ROTOWIRE