Nik Bonitto Sets Sights on Becoming a More Complete Defender

Nik Bonitto has arrived as a bona fide NFL pass rusher. He's become one of the NFL's premier edge defenders, and in each of the past two seasons, he's been decorated with accolades.

However, the Denver Broncos' young Pro Bowler isn't satisfied with his game. Bonitto knows that he still has room for improvement, and he recently told Aric DiLalla of the team website exactly what he's focused on.

"All facets," Bonitto told DiLalla. "I still have a lot of room to grow in my game — in the run and in the pass. Just keep trying to fine-tune these things, keep looking at other guys around the league that are doing it at a high level and seeing how I can put it into my game to continue to be the best player I know I can be."

Finding His Way

Bonitto originally landed in Denver as a 2022 second-round pick out of Oklahoma. It took him a couple of years to find his footing, and for the coaches to trust him as a run defender.

That elite get-off has always been a hallmark of Bonitto's game, but his biggest issue early on was developing an NFL body and honing the technique required to set the edge against the run. In 2024, the Broncos didn't have much choice but to play Bonitto after Baron Browning got hurt.

However, Bonitto quickly proved that he was far more of an asset on the field than watching from the sideline. The Broncos soon after traded Browning to the Arizona Cardinals, and Bonitto has never looked back.

As a two-time Pro Bowler, Bonitto also has a second-team All-Pro selection on his resume, and he's received Defensive Player of the Year votes in each of the past two seasons. Since he's been a starter, he's earned accolades, and the Broncos have made the playoffs.

Playoff Impact

Nik Bonitto and Josh Allen — Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is sacked by Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) as he fumbles the ball. | Dustin Bradford / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

After posting 13.5 sacks in his 2024 breakout campaign, Bonitto totaled a career-high 14 sacks last season, despite playing with a wrist injury that required a cast-type wrap on his right hand. He also had a game-changing impact in the Broncos' 33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs, strip-sacking Josh Allen, which Denver recovered.

When that game ended, the Broncos appeared to have everything they'd worked for in front of them, with a full deck of personnel. 45 minutes or so after the final gun, though, Sean Payton took to the podium to announce that Bo Nix had fractured his ankle on the third-to-last play of the game and would be done for the season.

The Broncos put up a good fight in the AFC championship game, and they may have defeated the New England Patriots, had a few things bounced more favorably in their way. Jarrett Stidham's two turnovers didn't help, nor did Payton's decision-making on a crucial fourth down.

The Broncos shut down Drake Maye as a passer, holding him to just 86 yards on 21 attempts, but the dagger was his rushing yards. Despite it being a point of emphasis in Payton's game plan, the Broncos allowed Maye to rush for 65 yards and a touchdown, which was New England's only real offensive threat.

The Broncos struggled to keep containment in that game and they paid the price. Bonitto was part of that failure, but we all know it would have been a very different game had Nix been healthy and available.

Excitement Growing

That's what has Bonitto and the Broncos all the more excited, with training camp set to kick off on July 28. This team was likely Super Bowl-bound if it had its young franchise quarterback in the conference title game.

That's a big reason why the Broncos made it a priority to retain so many of their free agents this past offseason. They're returning 90% of their snaps from last year, and that continuity could pay dividends in 2026, especially with a healthy Nix returning to the starting lineup.

"I'm really excited," Bonitto told DiLalla. "Especially how the season ended, I know everybody's champing at the bit to get the pads back on and compete against each other these next couple months. It's going to be real fun for sure."

The Takeaway

The Broncos could come to depend on Bonitto even more in 2026, with Jonathon Cooper's outlook being clouded by an off-the-field criminal case. Fortunately, the Broncos have some excellent depth at outside linebacker, but no one nearly as accomplished as Bonitto.

When it comes to improvement, the only thing missing from Bonitto's game is a stronger presence against the run. He's improved in that department by leaps and bounds, so there's reason to believe that trend will continue.

If I were to pick nits, I'd also mention ball production as another area Bonitto could improve. Increasing the takeaway rate is a focus of Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph this year, and Bonitto will be on the front line of that push.

Despite leading the league in sacks in back-to-back seasons, the Broncos have struggled to translate them into takeaways. Bonitto can help by attacking the ball more when he turns the corner and closes on the quarterback.

But that's me being hyper-critical. Bonitto is one of the NFL's best players at his position, and he's only entering his age-27 season. The future is bright.

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