Broncos QB Bo Nix Gives Strong Reaction After Trade Deadline Decision
The Denver Broncos let the 2025 trade deadline come and go without getting anything done. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix offered strong thoughts about why that was. He also spoke about what it means for the team this season.
It was not as if the Broncos did not try. However, their desire fell short of what was required to make something happen.
For Nix, the decision came as little to no surprise.
Bo Nix: ‘Great’ Broncos Confident Enough to Stand Pat at Trade Deadline
GettyBo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos reacts after defeating the New York Giants.
Nix fielded a question about what is says to the team that the Broncos did not go all out to add a piece. Particularly, he was asked what it says about head coach
Nix called it “great.”
“Obviously, if there’s a need, you want to get it,” Nix told reporters on November 4. “But we feel like we got all the pieces. And so, sometimes when something like that happens, it shakes things up. And we got something good going, and we just want to keep riding this wave and finding ways to win.”
Much of the conversation around the Broncos’ trade plans stemmed from seeking help for Nix, be it another target or protection amid injuries to their offensive line.
The Broncos attempted to bring in tight ends
Their biggest addition was veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis, who will have a bit role on the field and provide a locker room presence. Other than that, it is up to Nix and his current crop of pass catchers to take the necessary next steps.
Broncos WR Reacts to Trade Deadline
GettyTroy Franklin #11 of the Denver Broncos reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts.
One of Nix’s top targets, current Broncos wideout and former Oregon Ducks teammate
According to Franklin, it was not surprising based on what they had been told.
“Sean (Payton has) been telling us all year he loves our team, loves the receiver group and we don’t really need anything, so he’s kept his word,” Franklin said,
Payton said leading up to the deadline that the Broncos would be open to a deal. However, that was only if it provided actual value, and not just to make something happen.
Franklin “especially” did not expect a WR move, per Tomasson, but Denver explored its options.
“The Broncos did NOT make a trade before the trade deadline,” DNVR’s Zac Stevens reported
Bo Nix: Broncos Looking to ‘Improve Faster’ Than Competition
GettyBo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos on the field after defeating the Houston Texans.
Nix acknowledged the Broncos’ fourth-quarter prowess has belied the difficulty of scoring. He joked that not facing a top defense like the Houston Texans in Week 9 would help. He also noted that the Broncos are far from satisfied with so much of the season left.
At 7-2, tied for the best record in the NFL, and riding a six-game winning streak is nice, but hardly their end goal.
Their main focus is continuing to improve.
“We have so many things that we want to correct. And we feel like we haven’t even played a complete game offensively, much less, as a team. And so, I think once we start doing that, then we got to be careful about being too lax. But until then, we’re all in a growth mindset, and we’re worried about the things that we can fix,” Nix told reporters on Tuesday.
“Because there’s several of them from each position that we’re trying to focus on. And until we’re hitting all the ones that we need to hit, I don’t think we’re going to be able to be relaxed. Because we have a lot of guys that are competitive. We don’t have a bunch of frontrunners. We just got a locker room full of guys that are trying to race to improve, and improve faster than everybody else in the league.”
Former Lions QB Released Just Months After Joining New Team
The Detroit Lions made quarterback changes going into the 2025-26 season, because even though they have a solid franchise signal-caller in Jared Goff, his backups were in question. Now, Goff’s backup quarterback is Kyle Allen, so if Goff goes down, Allen is really the only player on the active roster who would step in.
But, at one point, the Lions had hope for readying a different backup quarterback for Goff. That was Hendon Hooker, their 2023 third-round draft pick. Detroit released Hooker on August 25 of this year, just weeks before the start of the regular season. It was an expected announcement at the time, although a disappointing one, since when the Lions picked him up in the draft, he was promising. In Tennessee, he threw for 6,080 yards, 58 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 68.8% of his passes, according to Sports Reference research. But, before letting him walk, Lions coach Dan Campbell even told reporters he felt Hooker could use a change of scenery, suggesting the outcome that became reality.
“Hooker lost the preseason battle for the backup quarterback job to veteran Kyle Allen, who outplayed Hooker in the Lions’ four preseason games and was clearly the better choice by the conclusion of their preparatory period,” Nick Shook of the NFL’s site stated in a feature at the time.
Ex-Lions Quarterback Looking for a New Home
Hooker was quickly signed by the Carolina Panthers during the offseason and had been serving on their practice squad. But, that all ended on Tuesday, November 4. Amid the drama of trades happening before the NFL’s trade deadline at 4 p.m. Eastern time, the Panthers quietly released Hooker.
“Hooker’s departure seemed inevitable once the Panthers signed Mike White to their practice squad two weeks ago, and then, earlier this week, signed him to the active roster,” Charean Williams NBC Sports notes. “Hooker became the odd man out as the fourth quarterback once Bryce Young was fully healed.”
In other Panthers moves, the team released tackle Michael Tarquin and linebacker Carlos Basham from the practice squad, and they signed running back DeeJay Dallas and safety Israel Mukuamu to the practice squad. They also signed guard Ja’Tyre Carter as a practice squad exception.
Ex-Lions Signal-Caller’s Release Has to Do With Making Room for New Players
As Anthony Rizzuti of the USA Today’s Panthers Wire notes, the moves meant Hooker had to go. “To make room for Dallas, Mukuamu and Carter, the Panthers released quarterback Hendon Hooker, offensive tackle Michael Tarquin and outside linebacker Carlos ‘Boogie’ Basham,” Rizzuti noted in a Tuesday, November 4 piece.
The Detroit Lions also made a move on Tuesday, although it wasn’t a flashy trade move. The team signed Jack Conley to their practice squad, according to Tom Pelissero.
Conley is a rookie guard from Boston College and was most recently with the New England Patriots. Now, he’ll add depth to the Detroit Lions roster following Christian Mahogany going down with a fractured ankle in Week 9. Now, the Detroit Lions will most likely call up Trystan Colon or Kingsley Eguakun to their active roster before their Week 10 game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, November 9.
