Pro Bowl Playmaker Gets Strong Review Ahead of Potential Broncos Deal

The Denver Broncos have several loose ends to tie up, and none may be more intriguing than outside linebacker Nik Bonitto. A Second Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2024, Bonitto received an honorable mention in ESPN’s annual poll of league personnel of the top 10 players at every position.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler relayed commentary from an anonymous AFC executive about Bonitto. It aligns with the other sentiments, including coming from the Broncos.

Notably, Bonitto is heading into the final year of his four-year, $5.8 million contract.

“Young, athletic, upside, speed rusher, can impact game,” the exec said, per Fowler on July 9 in the “edge rushers” edition of the poll, which included a mixture of 70 different front office personnel, coaches, and scouts. “Small and average against the run, but very productive overall.”

“You look at the day-to-day, you look at the practice, and you look at the skill set. Is there one trait? What’s the dominant trait? Nik Bonitto, man, we knew he had a dominant trait. When was it going to click? When was the light going to turn on? And so, you can see it in practice. You can see it by how, again, day-to-day, how they are in the weight room, in the conditioning drills,” Broncos general manager George Paton told reporters in March.

“Nik, man, he always worked hard. You just – you felt like it would come, and he got his opportunity. And, shoot, we traded a good player away in Baron Browning because we could see Nik in practice, what he was doing. And so, you just look for those little traits, and you just – it’s hard to give up on a player like that.”

Bonitto led the Broncos in sacks, finishing ahead of bookend Jonathon Cooper, who set his own career high with 10.0 sacks.

Cooper inked a four-year, $54 million contract extension in November 2024.

Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto Poised to Cash In

The Broncos selected Bonitto, 25, with the No. 64 overall pick in 2022. He finished third in the NFL during the 2024 regular season with a career-high 13.5 sacks. Bonitto added 48 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovery, and 1 interception.

He returned his pick and his recovery for touchdowns.

“His 21 1/2 takedowns since the start of the 2023 season rank 10th in that span,” The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider wrote on June 19. “He only became a full-time starter about a month into last season. He is an ascending player who has unique traits and plays a premium position, and he is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Those are the kind of players who get paid.”

Kosmider wrote that Bonitto is “sitting in a position to earn an extension worth more than $20 million annually.”

Kosmider noted the Broncos extended Pat Surtain II and Quinn Meinerz just before the start of last season, and that Bonitto could follow a similar timeline. Paton has also touted the Broncos’ willingness to do such business during the season.

Broncos Facing Tough Roster Decisions

Bonitto’s situation might be easier to resolve if he were the only veteran the Broncos had on an expiring contract. That is not the case. Fellow 2024 Second Team All-Pro Zach Allen is part of that group.

Allen earned an honorable mention on the top 10 defensive tackle list.

“He’s turned into a very good interior rusher,” an anonymous NFL DL coach told Fowler in comments published on July 8. Does a good job of using rush patterns in [defensive coordinator] Vance [Joseph]’s scheme to set up rushes for later in the game. His run defense is inconsistent, particularly vs. 2-on-1 blocks. His experience with J.J. Watt in Arizona has truly advanced the development of his game.”

Bonitto has been an advocate for Allen. He said the latter was ranked too low after he checked in at No. 90 on the NFL’s Top 100 Players list for 2025.

Moreover, Kosmider noted Courtland Sutton as the situation to monitor on July 8. Allen’s linemate, John Franklin-Myers, has been vocal about his situation. Starting center Luke Wattenberg is also in the final year of his deal.