Bo Nix has made plays with his feet and his arm through his first eight NFL starts.
This weekend the quarterback across from him is one of the best at doing both in the league’s history.
That’s two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, Baltimore’s star quarterback.
Jackson is off to a blistering start again for the 5-3 Ravens. He’s thrown for 2,099 yards, 17 touchdowns and just two interceptions and he’s rushed for 501 yards and two more scores while getting sacked just 12 times. His quarterback rating, yards per attempt, interception rate and several other metrics are all the best of his decorated career so far.
Nix, of course, had been more dangerous running than throwing until a breakout game Sunday against Carolina. He’s got 1,530 passing yards, eight touchdowns against five picks, 259 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns and 11 sacks.
The Denver rookie laughed Wednesday when it was suggested that some of his rushing metrics were similar to Jackson’s.
“If I tried to do what Lamar does, I wouldn’t be here because, I mean he’s special when it comes to not only running the ball,” Nix said. “He’s well-known for his explosive runs, but he’s a full-qualified quarterback in the pocket and he does some really good things with his arm. I think he’s underrated when it comes to throwing the ball.”
Nix said he once saw Jackson, then at Louisville, play against Clemson when he was on a recruiting visit to Clemson as a touted high school recruit.
“He was electric in that one, too,” Nix said, noting that he’d never met Jackson in person. “I’m excited to play against him on the same level. It’s still crazy I get to play against these guys. Growing up and watching him, he’s a two-time MVP and he’s been doing it for a few years now at a high level.
“I definitely don’t want to be compared to him at running the ball, because I’m not quite there.”
Locke still out. Starting safety P.J. Locke missed practice Wednesday due to a thumb injury that caused him to miss the game against Carolina.
Locke dropped out of practice Oct. 23 and hasn’t participated since. During the game, he had a cast on his left hand.
Elsewhere on the injury report: Right tackle Mike McGlinchey (knee) also didn’t practice. He has played the past two games after missing four with a sprained MCL. FB Mike Burton (foot) was limited and so was DL Zach Allen, who got a rest day.
CB Pat Surtain II has an ankle injury but he and RT Alex Palczewski (ankle) each practiced fully. It was Palczewski’s first full day of work since a high-ankle sprain against Las Vegas in Week 5 that has cost him three games.
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Turner-Yell practicing. Third-year safety Delarrin Turner-Yell returned to practice Wednesday, marking the first time he’s participated since tearing his ACL and meniscus and spraining his MCL in Week 17 last year.
Turner-Yell, a solid special teams player and reserve defensive back, has been on the physically unable to perform list since before training camp started, but he’s been around the team the entire time working through his rehabilitation.
Players on PUP, like those on injured reserve, have a 21-day window from the time they start practicing to when they must be put back on the 53-man roster. If that doesn’t happen, the player either must be cut or returned to the injured list, which ends his season.
The Broncos now have one more player on PUP who could return at some point in the coming weeks in linebacker Drew Sanders, who tore his Achilles this spring.
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