Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham Garnering Trade Interest

30-year-old Denver Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham said after losing the starting quarterback battle to then-rookie Bo Nix in 2024 that he feels like he’s a starting quarterback in this league. Stidham was recently thrust in to the national spotlight when he was forced in to the starting role for Denver in the 2025-26 AFC Championship Game against his former team, the New England Patriots.

Stidham’s performance didn’t exactly jump off the page in a 10-7 loss with a Super Bowl 60 trip on the line at home. Snow was a factor, and Stidham did complete the Broncos longest aerial pass of the 2025-26 season. But after scoring on the Broncos’ opening possession, Denver went scoreless the rest of the game with Stidham under center.

Still, teams around the league took note of Stidham’s readiness to go, and possibly his arm talent, and the veteran quarterback is reportedly receiving trade interest. Many backup quarterbacks around the league would have looked like a deer in headlights making their first start of the season in the Championship round.

As the QB market plays out, trade targets remain in play for several teams. I’m told teams have reached out to the Broncos about backup Jarrett Stidham, whose lone start of the season came in the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots. pic.twitter.com/7fcFg33LAH
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 4, 2026

One team that could be linked to Stidham is the New York Jets (per Rich Cimini), who reportedly would like to bring in a couple of veterans to compete for a starting position: exactly the kind of situation Stidham would relish right now, as he’s stuck behind Bo Nix for the foreseeable future in Denver. The Jets could be starting from square one at quarterback next season, and an open competition can sometimes yield surprising results.

Otherwise, Stidham could essentially change scenery and be the steady hand at backup for a solid team: Bleacher Report lists the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Washington Commanders, and Cincinnati Bengals as landing spots, with these teams set to lose their current backups in 2026 NFL Free Agency. Three of these four teams, excluding the Bills, have also dealt with injuries at quarterback over the years, so Stidham could be eyed as a spot starter in relief of Jordan Love, Jayden Daniels, or Joe Burrow when they can’t take the field.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports that veteran quarterback market is “weak” right now, and looking around the league, there’s a lot of backups with little experience or bad experience that would make you hold your breathe if they had to take the field for your team.

Nix and Stidham are the only two quarterbacks on the roster for the Broncos heading in to the 2026-27 season, and given that Nix’s ankle injuries have reoccurred and various stages in his career, insurance at the position is necessary. Stidham is relatively cheap at an $8 million price tag, but cheaper quarterbacks could had. But the Broncos would likely take a step back talent-wise if they cheaped out at the position.

But if teams are calling, its due diligence for the Broncos to at least listen. A fifth round pick for Stidham might just get the deal done for Denver, and anything higher would just be icing on the cake.

Should the Broncos field offers for Stidham in a market that doesn’t feature a ton of quality backup quarterbacks? Or would they be shooting themselves in the foot by hindering their own quarterback room? Join the conversation with Sakmann Sports on Twitter/X, on Facebook, or by commenting directly on this post!