Broncos Add Quarterback Depth After Bo Nix Injury, Sign Ben DiNucci to Practice Squad

Denver reshapes its quarterback depth chart

The Denver Broncos are adjusting their quarterback situation after Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury. While the team has indicated that Jarrett Stidham will take over under center, Denver is also adding depth behind him by bringing in another passer.

On Sunday, Ben DiNucci confirmed in a social media post that he has signed a deal to join the Broncos’ practice squad. The move gives the Broncos another quarterback option as they prepare for the next game and continue through the remainder of their playoff run.

Ben DiNucci joins the practice squad

DiNucci’s announcement came directly from his own social media message, where he referenced being available on short notice and included a nod to the team’s fan base.

“It has come to my attention that a team may be in need of my services… Good thing my schedule is open this week,” DiNucci wrote. “Broncos country… Let’s go get a Super Bowl ?”

Alongside the message, DiNucci included an image of himself from his time with the Broncos in 2023. His return to the organization is notable because he has not appeared in a regular-season game since his rookie year with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020.

Since then, his NFL opportunities have come primarily through offseason stints and practice squad roles. He also has not been on an NFL roster since the Atlanta Falcons waived him during preliminary training camp cuts in August.

Recent context: from analysis to signing

DiNucci’s signing also stands out because he was involved in football coverage immediately before the move. The day prior, he was analyzing the impact of Nix’s injury for the Broncos during a broadcast for CBS Sports. Within a short span, he went from discussing the situation to becoming part of the team’s response to it.

At 29 years old, DiNucci has spent time in training camp or on a practice squad with the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints since his last NFL start. In addition to his NFL stops, he spent a season with the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL.

For Denver, the addition is primarily about depth. With the club preparing for a high-stakes stretch, having another quarterback in the building provides insurance and flexibility for practices and emergency planning.

Jarrett Stidham set to start

With Nix out, Broncos head coach Sean Payton has reiterated that Stidham will start at quarterback for next Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots. The start will be Stidham’s first since 2023.

Stidham steps into a situation where the team is leaning on his familiarity with the system and the coaching staff’s confidence in what he can do. Payton has spoken positively about Stidham’s performance in practice, emphasizing accuracy and arm strength.

“There’d be practices where I’m looking at [defensive coordinator] Vance [Joseph] and getting (mad) because Stiddy’s making our defense look bad,” Payton told reporters. “He’s very accurate. He’s got a lot to his ball.”

Those comments reflect a coach’s belief that the quarterback can execute the offense effectively, even if he has not been the primary starter. In playoff settings, where preparation time can be limited and opponents are strong, that kind of internal confidence can shape how a team approaches its game plan.

Sam Ehlinger’s role behind Stidham

In addition to Stidham taking over as the starter, the Broncos have identified Sam Ehlinger as the primary backup. Ehlinger was called up from the practice squad earlier in January, and he is slated to be next in line behind Stidham.

This makes Denver’s quarterback picture clearer in the short term:

• Jarrett Stidham is expected to start.
• Sam Ehlinger is positioned as the primary backup.
• Ben DiNucci joins the practice squad to add depth.

Adding DiNucci does not change the stated plan at the top of the depth chart, but it does provide the organization with another quarterback who can take reps and be available if needed.

Roster rules limit outside quarterback options

As the Broncos look ahead, their ability to add quarterbacks from outside the organization is limited by the rules governing who can be signed at this stage. According to the information provided, Denver cannot sign any quarterback who finished their season on an active roster. That restriction narrows the pool of available players and makes it more difficult to bring in a veteran who was recently playing elsewhere.

The constraints also extend to players listed in special categories. The Broncos can’t add a quarterback who is on an opposing team’s reserve/retired list. One example mentioned is Derek Carr, who is on the Saints’ reserve/retired list after announcing his retirement in March, making him unavailable under those rules.

With these limitations, the list of potential additions becomes “slim,” as described. That context helps explain why a practice-squad signing like DiNucci’s can matter: the team’s realistic options are not as broad as they might be during the regular season.

Who can be signed: free agents at season’s end

The only quarterbacks the Broncos can sign are players who ended the 2025 NFL regular season as free agents. Under that framework, certain names could theoretically be eligible because no NFL team would hold their contract rights.

One example given is Drew Brees, who could sign with the Broncos and reunite with Payton, his former Saints coach, because no team holds his contract rights. The mention of Brees is presented as an illustration of eligibility under the rules rather than an indication of a specific plan.

In practical terms, the Broncos’ approach appears to focus on the quarterbacks already in their orbit: Stidham as the starter, Ehlinger as the primary backup, and DiNucci as an added depth option on the practice squad.

A matchup with personal history for Stidham

Stidham’s next assignment comes with an additional storyline: he will face the New England Patriots, the team that originally drafted him. The Patriots selected Stidham in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and now he is preparing to start against them.

Payton also noted that he had been interested in drafting Stidham during his time with the Saints, suggesting that the coach has tracked Stidham’s development for years. That familiarity extends beyond scouting and into knowledge of how Stidham has been coached and evaluated across multiple stops.

Payton described how he views Stidham’s background through the lens of coaching and organizational context.

“I know exactly how he was coached in New England, and then I know how [Patriots offensive coordinator Josh] McDaniels felt about him when he brought him from New England to Vegas. And then I know reports on how he played and then we saw him play in real time,” Payton said.

Payton added that the most important factor is what the Broncos have seen internally over the past several years.

“But ultimately ... it’s our three years here and our three years watching him day in and day out ... And so he will be ready to go and ready for the moment.”

Why the DiNucci signing matters in the short term

Practice squad additions can be easy to overlook, but in a situation where a team has lost its starting quarterback to injury, every roster move becomes part of the broader response. DiNucci’s signing gives Denver another quarterback who can participate in meetings and practices, helping the team maintain structure as it transitions to a new starter.

It also reflects the reality of the team’s limited external options. With restrictions on signing quarterbacks who ended the season on active rosters and additional limitations involving reserve/retired lists, the Broncos’ available pool is constrained. In that environment, bringing in a player who is eligible and has previous experience in NFL settings, even if mostly in offseason roles recently, can be a practical step.

At the same time, Denver’s stated plan remains centered on Stidham. Payton’s comments indicate that the coaching staff believes Stidham can operate the offense effectively and be prepared for the moment, even though this will be his first start since 2023.

Current quarterback outlook

As the Broncos move forward without Nix, the quarterback situation is defined by three key points: the starter, the immediate backup, and added depth.

• Starter: Jarrett Stidham is set to start in Nix’s place.
• Primary backup: Sam Ehlinger is slated to back up Stidham after being called up earlier in January.
• Depth addition: Ben DiNucci has signed with the practice squad, giving Denver another quarterback in the building.

With the next game against New England approaching, Denver’s focus will be on preparing Stidham for the start while ensuring the roster has enough support behind him. DiNucci’s addition is one part of that preparation, reflecting both the immediate needs created by Nix’s injury and the limited pathways available for adding quarterbacks at this stage.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.