Broncos Rumors: Zach Wilson Has the 'Liveliest Arm' in QB1 Battle vs. Bo Nix, Stidham

Zach Wilson may have one advantage over the competition in the battle for the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback job.

"According to several pro personnel executives who have evaluated the Broncos' quarterbacks, Wilson—the No. 2 overall pick by the Jets in 2021—has liveliest arm and potentially the biggest portfolio of throws he can make," ESPN's Jeff Legwold reported Monday.

Getting traded to the Broncos represented a fresh start for the 24-year-old following three disappointing seasons with the New York Jets. His reputation almost assuredly precedes him nonetheless.

Whatever he does on the practice field will be balanced against Wilson averaging 185.1 passing yards per game with 23 touchdowns to 25 interceptions in his 34 regular-season appearances.

In addition, Wilson's arm talent wasn't really the issue in New York. He made plenty of throws that reminded fans why the Jets initially positioned him as their franchise QB.

Things can always change based on how training camp unfolds, but the Broncos sent a pretty clear message when they used a first-rounder on Oregon's Bo Nix only days after acquiring Wilson. If they had clear designs on utilizing Wilson as a starter, they wouldn't have been so aggressive in targeting Nix earlier than many thought his talent warranted.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the rookie "really has impressed, just beyond the normal talk about rookies coming along and playing well."

"I'm told that around traffic in the pocket with defensive linemen flying around him, he's delivered the ball calmly and accurately," Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter. "I'm told that has stood out to the Broncos and he's shown a lot of maturity; those 61 collegiate starts have shown up. So, this is a long quarterback battle—Stidham involved, Wilson, but Nix has made an early compelling case."

All things considered, you'd assume Nix has the inside track to be the Week 1 starter regardless of whether Wilson possesses more raw talent.