The Facts: The Broncos signed Stidham to be Russell Wilson‘s backup, but Broncos HC Sean Payton believes Stidham has starting potential. Payton said today that he thought highly of Stidham coming out of Auburn in the 2019 NFL draft and liked what he saw of Stidham playing for the Raiders late in the 2022 season. “I think he’s young, but I think he’s someone that we had a good grade on coming out,” Payton said. “We like the player. I think he played well in the two starts he had this year. If you study closely the San Francisco game, he’s smart at the line of scrimmage.”

Diehards Line: Payton said that when the Broncos looked around the league at the potential backup quarterbacks available, they saw Stidham as one who could start. “There were a handful of No. 2s that I had worked with or we felt comfortable with, but in this case I think it’s a No. 2 that his arrow is moving in a direction where we think he can become an NFL starter,” Payton said. “So the evaluation was pretty crystal clear for all of us. I think he’s going to be someone who’s great in the room. He’s smart. So quietly that was an important signing for us. ...” The Broncos hope Wilson stays healthy and plays so well that Stidham doesn’t see the field any time soon. But Payton is clearly very high on Stidham, who’s now under contract in Denver through 2024.