Broncos Eye New Position for Jonah Elliss, per Sean Payton

The Denver Broncos might have a different role in mind for third-year rush linebacker Jonah Elliss. Head coach Sean Payton said on Tuesday that Elliss will see some snaps at inside linebacker this summer.

At the annual NFL owners meetings in Phoenix, Arizona, Payton lamented how things didn't work out with linebacker Dre Greenlaw, which he counter-balanced by revealing the Broncos' plan to try Elliss at inside linebacker behind starters Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad.

"You’re going to see Elliss take some snaps inside," Payton said. "That is something that we have discussed relative to our depth at the edge. Then we will see where that goes during the draft."

The Broncos could also draft a linebacker. They've been linked to several in terms of formal meetings and pre-draft visits, and the mock draft artists from around the web have projected several inside linebackers to Denver, including Texas Tech's Jacob Rodrigues, Cincinnati's Jake Golday, and Missouri's Josiah Trotter.

OLB Depth Allows It

Trying Elliss at inside linebacker could make a lot of sense because of the depth Denver has on the edge. Behind starters Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, the Broncos have a log-jam in Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, and Que Robinson.

Elliss was a 2024 third-round pick out of Utah, where he did play some off-ball linebacker. Robinson, meanwhile, was a fourth-round pick last year out of Alabama.

Current ILB Depth Chart

Elliss has brothers in the NFL who have excelled at inside linebacker, so there are ample reasons why the Broncos might be keen to try him there. Beyond the starters, the Broncos lack clarity at inside linebacker.

Drew Sanders — a 2023 third-round pick — hasn't worked out thus far because of the injury bug, but he's healthy now and will be gunning for the opportunity to prove himself in a contract year. After Sanders, it's a trio of recent undrafted free agents, like Levelle Bailey, Karene Reid, and Jordan Turner.

Elliss is already a proven contributor on defense, though as an edge defender only. He's got great instincts and a nose for the ball, so I could see him thriving at inside linebacker.

Changing Positions: No Recent Success Stories

The problem is, when the Broncos have tried fiddling with a player's position in the front seven, it has yet to work out. I'm not talking about Karl Mecklenburg back in the 1980s; I'm talking about recent history, including, but not limited to, DeMarcus Walker (2017 second-round pick) and Sanders.

Walker is ancient history from multiple coaching regimes back, but Sanders was a Payton-era draft pick. The Broncos initially tried him at inside linebacker as a rookie, then moved him to outside linebacker — then he got hurt.

At some point during Sanders's recovery from his 2024 injury, the Broncos decided to return him back to inside linebacker, where he's remained. So, the Broncos have flirted with such positional changes in the front seven, but there are no recent wins to point to.

Elliss Could Succeed

That doesn't mean Elliss can't be successful. He's got great size, football character and IQ, and now, valuable experience playing in the NFL. He has a skill set that projects well to inside linebacker, and the Broncos want him on the field more.

"Sometimes, that inside backer position—one of the best in our league at San Francisco in [49ers LB] Fred Warner, you saw him play more out in space, outside backer," Payton said. "Sometimes you have to look at the skill set, and then project where you think it can go, and your depth on the edge that allows you to do something like that.”

Elliss was a little bit snake-bitten last season, but he still found a way to contribute, notching 2.5 sacks in 13 games, to go along with 28 tackles (16 solo) and a forced fumble. He was impressive as a 2024 rookie, totaling five sacks as a depth piece.

The Broncos want to find ways for Elliss to be more involved and it might be through the development of additional linebacker skills. Time will tell how it shakes out.

“It’s the decision to give him snaps going forward," Payton said of Elliss. "Skill set, it’s a position where we are wanting—I drafted his brother [Saints LB Kaden Elliss]. The same thing happened with [Eagles LB] Zack Baun, only we couldn’t get Zack Baun on the field. Now, Philadelphia managed to. It was really looking at your assets, and we know that he is smart, tough and he has all the..."

Sign up for our free Denver Broncos On SI newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!