The Denver Broncos have cut quarterback Ben DiNucci weeks after the arrivals of Zach Wilson and Bo Nix.
DiNucci, 27, joined the Broncos last year after impressing at their rookie minicamp, having previously enjoyed a successful stint with the XFL's Seattle Sea Dragons. After being waived for the first time before the season started, as the team trimmed down its active roster, DiNucci re-signed with the practice squad.
Then, after the regular season concluded, he inked a reserve/future contract, only to find himself out the door four months later. The player had previously featured in three games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 after being picked in the seventh round, serving as backup to Andy Dalton.
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The departure comes after DiNucci, at one point, looked set to play a similar role in Denver when he and Jarrett Stidham were the only two quarterbacks left on the roster following Russell Wilson's departure. But since then, the Broncos have doubled their quarterback options.
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Wilson was the first new face in the quarterback room, arriving from the New York Jets in exchange for a sixth-round pick in this year's draft, with a seventh-round selection also included in the deal. Then, during the draft in Detroit, Denver selected Nix with the No. 12 overall pick.
The Oregon graduate became the record-equalling sixth quarterback to go in the first round. The Broncos have yet to seal the deal with Nix, but they are preparing for that by letting go of DiNucci.
Ben DiNicci did briefly play for the Denver Broncos last season against the Los Angeles Rams (Getty Images)This shake-up follows the team's decision not to take up Wilson's fifth-year option, setting him up for free agency next spring after being the second pick in the 2021 draft. DiNucci's departure coincides with the build-up to the team's rookie minicamp, Nix's inaugural practice sessions with the squad.
The newly made free agent took to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to confirm his release on Wednesday: "I have been released by the Broncos. All part of the journey!! Excited for what's to come," he said.
Denver's starting quarterback position is anyone's game, as head coach Sean Payton has clarified that it's a three-horse race. "So [Hall of Famer] Bill [Parcells] taught me a long time ago -- just let them play," Payton has shared with the media post-draft.
"We have to maximize the reps that we have and let them develop, and that stuff will sort itself out." He also admitted, "These guys are all going to compete."
With the rookie minicamp kicking off on May 10, Nix will get a jump on the competition, aiming to impress both the coaching staff and the fans. Wilson, meanwhile, will have his shot to stake his claim during the upcoming non-mandatory OTA workouts slated for later this month and into early June.
Stidham, however, has a season of knowing the offense under his belt after working with Payton every day in practice.
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