Broncos Legend Pressures Sean Payton to Correct Bo Nix’s Biggest Flaw After Getting Away With It Last Season

In season 2015, Chris Harris Jr. watched Peyton Manning dissect defenses with precision and grit—leading the Denver Broncos to a Super Bowl title built on savvy leadership and surgical execution. Nearly a decade later, Harris sees something stirring again in Denver. Only this time, it’s not a Hall of Famer with a cannon arm—it’s a rookie with wheels and upside. And Harris, ever the no-nonsense corner, isn’t asking for miracles. He’s asking for movement.

The Broncos might’ve finally turned the page on a chapter that haunted them for years. Drafting Bo Nix didn’t just signal a fresh start at quarterback—it marked the end of that lingering “what if” tied to passing on Josh Allen in 2018. With Nix under center and Sean Payton in charge, the Broncos found a long-missing rhythm, even punching their ticket to the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. There’s hope in Denver again. There’s structure. And, maybe, a real plan.

But if you ask Chris Harris Jr., there’s still one key adjustment to make. The Super Bowl 50 champion, who spent nine seasons locking down receivers in orange and blue, believes Payton still hasn’t gone all-in. Speaking on the DNVR Sports Denver Broncos podcast, Harris made his point clear—Denver’s offense needs to lean into Nix’s mobility. “I expect him really, you know, taking more control of the offense, having more of a role on the field.

“I really want him to run more, add more running plays for the quarterback. I think we kind of got away from that at the end of the season,” Harris explained. “Philly’s not stopping doing that, Buffalo’s not stopping doing that, the Ravens aren’t.” He added that the team’s performance was only average when it came to running the ball last season. 

“So I would say let’s add a little bit more to the quarterback run game, still be consistent with that. As long as he’s healthy, you know, all year and just evolve as a quarterback. You’ve got to take those next steps, take more command of the offense. I’m pretty sure he probably already knows everything, right?”

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With RJ Harvey, Evan Engram, and Courtland Sutton as key weapons, Sean Payton has pieces to work with. But Harris believes adding designed quarterback runs would elevate the entire scheme, opening up lanes, freezing linebackers, and injecting unpredictability into an already potent offense.

What does Bo Nix running more mean for opposing defenses?

The Broncos’ ground game ranked 16th in the league last season with 1,908 rushing yards and an average of 112.2 yards per game. It was competent—but not terrifying. Javonte Williams led the backfield with modest returns (3.7 yards per carry), while Jaleel McLaughlin chipped in with 496 yards at 4.4 yards per carry. As for Nix, he totaled 383 rushing yards (excluding the 47 rushing yards from postseason) and four rushing touchdowns, showing flashes of mobility early in the year before settling into a more conservative rhythm.

That’s the issue Harris zeroed in on, suggesting that more designed runs for Nix could be a game-changer. “If a quarterback can run and we’re in two-man coverage, you know, that puts us right out of that,” Harris explained. “It kind of forces the defense into your hand when you have a guy that can move the chains with his legs.”

Credit: Imago

Harris doesn’t want Sean Payton to just lean on talent—he wants the offense to evolve. The Broncos’ offense looks explosive with RJ Harvey coming in from UCF, along with Audric Estime and McLaughlin. He envisions Bo Nix as a true dual-threat quarterback, someone who not only stretches the field vertically but horizontally. That kind of versatility makes defensive coordinators lose sleep. “I can definitely see this kid having a big year,” Harris concluded.

So, will Sean Payton unleash Bo Nix’s full potential and turn him into the kind of player who makes game plans unravel by the second quarter? That answer could define Denver’s ceiling in 2025. Because in today’s NFL, the best QBs don’t just throw—they move. And Chris Harris Jr. wants the Broncos to stop holding Nix back.

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