Broncos HC Sean Payton Sends Message to OLB Nik Bonitto After Week 1

There are a handful of young Denver Broncos for whom this year's training camp is uber-important. Head coach Sean Payton talked about one such player — rush linebacker Nik Bonitto — on Wednesday after the Day 7 of Broncos Camp.

Payton was asked to give his feedback on what he's seen from Bonitto thus far, and he made sure to mention that the Broncos went to great lengths this offseason to surround the second-year pro with the coaching support he needs to make a big sophomore leap, after hiring his Oklahoma coach Jamar Cain.

“We have his college coach," Payton said of Bonitto. "Obviously sometimes there’s a bigger learning curve for guys. It’s a production position, right? It’s one in which you’re getting to the quarterback, you’re affecting him—doesn’t mean you have to be sacking him—and then you’re holding up in the running game. This will be a big training camp for him.”

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Payton is putting the young pass rusher on notice, so to speak, in terms of making sure Bonitto understands the stakes. A second-round pick last year, Bonitto disappointed as a rookie, mainly because the Broncos couldn't trust him out on the field, except in obvious passing situations. He had yet to develop his 'NFL body,' so his strength to hold up in the running game at the point of attack and set the edge was lacking.

However, Bonitto has looked good thus far. The Broncos donned pads on Monday, which allows the coaches to better perceive the wheat from the chaff.

Bonitto has made it into several notebooks, including that of Mile High Huddle's Luke Patterson and Thomas Hall, who have reported on quite a few wins for the young pass rusher thus far, including against good tackles like Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey.

If Bonitto's NFL career is going to kick into gear, it has to be this year, which is why Payton mentioned the importance of this training camp. That's not to say that Bonitto couldn't turn a corner in Year 3 instead, but that would risk another year of irrelevance and the possibility of the Broncos looking elsewhere for edge defending help.

For now, Bonitto seems to have a modicum of momentum. And the Broncos could absolutely use his get-off, twitch, and bend in rushing the passer after an impotent 2022 season in that department.

Let's see how Bonitto looks when the preseason arrives.

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