logo
Report: Broncos having discussions on Nik Bonitto extension

Report: Broncos having discussions on Nik Bonitto extension

NBC Sports07-05-2025

When Broncos General Manager George Paton spoke to reporters at the end of the team's season, he said they hoped to have edge rusher Nik Bonitto in Denver for the long term but that there had not been any conversations about a new deal.
Those conversations have reportedly started. Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette reports that the team has started having discussions about an extension for a player coming off a breakout 2024 season.
Bonitto went from 1.5 sacks as a rookie to eight in his second season and then took another jump to 13.5 sacks as the Broncos advanced to the playoffs. The 2022 second-round pick also returned an interception 71 yards for a touchdown on his way to being voted a second-team All-Pro.
Per the report, Bonitto is looking for more than $20 million a season and the question for the rest of the offseason will be whether the Broncos meet that number or if they wait to see how Year Four plays out before locking up Bonitto.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga was mentored by Troy Polamalu
Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga was mentored by Troy Polamalu

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga was mentored by Troy Polamalu

Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga was mentored by Troy Polamalu Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga has learned from the best. Hufanga, who played college football at USC, was mentored by another former Trojan of Polynesian descent: Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu. 'Being a sponge, you have to absorb as much knowledge around him," Hufanga said when asked what he learned from Polamalu. "I think the first time I ever encountered him [was] coming out of high school. We both were from Oregon, both played safety, both went to USC. A guy that I asked, 'What can I do to be a better safety?' That was my very first question. I was 17, so please don't be mad. "He said, 'We have to work on your character first.' That's just a testament to who he is, who raised him and the way that he learned throughout his journey in the league. So for me, my character I would like to say is the most important part first. That's something that he allowed to teach me as well.' Polamalu was one of the best players at his position and a leader on and off the field. Hufanga grew up watching him, and he aims to emulate the former safety's playing style. 'I've played it since I was young," Hufanga said of playing a physical sport. "I think for me it was just something that I naturally fell in love with, just watching the greats that played it. I was a big Troy fan. I know we're talking about him, but that was somebody I really used to watch a lot. Just kind of fell in love with it, playing it and it just gives me joy when I step on the field. Understand that there's a competitiveness to me that I like play. "Guys are making me better every day when I come out here. You make a play, you get beat on a play, you get to learn, you get to grow and you have to flush it and do it again the next play. You get injured, and you have to fight those nine months of trying to get back on the field, doing stuff like that. For me, it was just something that I gravitate towards. I like to endure stuff that's not easy.' Hufanga, like Polamalu, is a physical safety, and he enjoys the contact in football. 'For sure. I think that it's free violence, I guess you could say, and you don't get in trouble," he said. "But I'm very blessed to be able to play this sport.' Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

Broncos roster: CB Jahdae Barron (No. 12) joins talented secondary
Broncos roster: CB Jahdae Barron (No. 12) joins talented secondary

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

Broncos roster: CB Jahdae Barron (No. 12) joins talented secondary

Broncos roster: CB Jahdae Barron (No. 12) joins talented secondary Broncos Wire's 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron, No. 12. Before the Broncos: Barron (5-11, 183 pounds) was a five-year starter for the Texas Longhorns from 2020-25, playing in 57 games. Across his five-season tenure in Austin, Barron totaled 226 tackles (136 solo, 90 assisted), including 21 for losses, two sacks, 24 pass deflections, eight interceptions, three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and two defensive touchdowns. During Barron's time in Texas, he played at several different spots in the secondary, including outside, in the slot and even some time at safety. In 2024, Barron was named a consensus All-American and Jim Thorpe Award winner (best collegiate defensive back) at cornerback, with 67 total tackles (46 solo, 21 assisted), three tackles for losses, one sack, five interceptions, 11 pass deflections and one fumble recovery. Before the 2025 NFL draft, Draft Wire's Jeff Risdon had Barron as the second-best cornerback in the draft, which is why it was surprising that Barron was available at 20th overall. Broncos tenure: Barron was selected 20th overall by the Broncos, which was considered a huge surprise by pundits who expected Denver to select a running back or offensive weapon. Barron's versatility made him the best player available in the pass-heavy AFC West. Chances to make the 53-man roster: Lock. Barron's positional versatility brings a different dimension to the Broncos' defense, which was already near the top of the NFL in 2024. Barron should expect to get immediate playing time in Denver's nickel package, and he can line up all over the field. It remains to be seen where veterans Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian will rank in relation to Barron's newfound playing time. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

Denver Broncos' Vance Joseph raising bar for top-ranked defense: ‘Let's start over again'
Denver Broncos' Vance Joseph raising bar for top-ranked defense: ‘Let's start over again'

New York Times

time3 hours ago

  • New York Times

Denver Broncos' Vance Joseph raising bar for top-ranked defense: ‘Let's start over again'

When the dust settled on Vance Joseph's second season as the defensive coordinator in Denver, the Broncos had set a record with 63 sacks. They finished first in defensive efficiency, according to TruMedia's expected points added metric. They boasted the NFL's defensive player of the year in cornerback Pat Surtain II and two other All-Pro selections in outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and defensive end Zach Allen. Advertisement However, the victory lap for Joseph and the Broncos' braintrust was brief — if it existed at all. A 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the playoffs shoved the Broncos back to the drawing board. 'We watched every clip from last year, and once you watch it all, you get a clear idea of how teams attacked you,' Joseph said Wednesday during his lone meeting with the media before training camp. 'It was obvious. I won't share that, but it was obvious how teams attacked us. You have to go to work to try to prevent some of that stuff. That's what you do in the offseason, and that's every year. You have to change and adjust.' Another day of minicamp in the 📚 — Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 11, 2025 What followed was an offseason of major additions for an already talented defense. The Broncos signed a pair of former San Francisco 49ers standouts in safety Talanoa Hufanga and inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw. They then used their first-round pick on versatile defensive back Jahdae Barron, who was coached by Joseph's cousin, Terry Joseph, for three seasons at Texas. The additions provided a window into how the Broncos viewed their shortcomings last season defensively. Despite Surtain's lockdown brilliance, the Broncos had too many breakdowns in the secondary, particularly during late-season losses to the Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals. They struggled at times to cover running backs. Denver opponents produced a 122.1 passer rating when targeting the position last season. Only the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans yielded a higher opponent rating. Hufanga and Greenlaw — physical, experienced players brought in to fortify the spine of the defense — are expected to help with those issues. But the addition of those players goes beyond the schematic adjustments the Broncos are trying to make. Joseph noted that Denver still has a relatively young defense. The playoff game in Buffalo was the first taste of the postseason for the bulk of Denver's defensive starters, and it showed. Hufanga and Greenlaw, meanwhile, have played in 17 combined playoff games. Greenlaw has played in two Super Bowls. Advertisement 'Both guys bring experience of being in big games and being on dominant defenses,' Joseph said. 'That's an attitude in practice and in meetings every day. You see it with those guys. Those guys love football. To add them to our mix has been tremendous. We're looking forward to the fall.' Greenlaw has not participated in the on-field portion of Denver's offseason program, which concludes Thursday with the final practice of mandatory minicamp. He suffered a quad injury while training on his own before the NFL Draft and is expected to be cleared for team activity by the time training camp begins. In the meantime, Greenlaw has been a constant presence on the sidelines at practices and in meetings. Hufanga, who intercepted Broncos quarterback Bo Nix at the end of last week's OTA practice attended by the media, has been part of a new soundtrack for Denver's defense. He has provided a vocal presence in the back end of the defense that has already been apparent. 'You are going to see how special they are,' said nose tackle D.J. Jones, who played with both players in San Francisco before signing with the Broncos in 2022. 'You're going to see why they brought them here.' First look at @TalanoaHufanga 👀 — Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 29, 2025 The additions of Greenlaw, Hufanga and Barron, whom Joseph called a 'can't-miss prospect for us,' have helped create massive expectations for a defense that was one of the league's best last season. There is a certain microscope on a unit that is suddenly loaded with top-level talent. But head coach Sean Payton provided a reminder about the calendar on Tuesday. The Broncos, he said, 'have a chance to be a real good defense,' but this is a different group that is still in the building stages. Joseph has conveyed the same message. Advertisement 'We had a great defense. That was last year,' Joseph said. 'This year is totally different. My entire sell this entire offseason has been, 'Let's start over again. Let's keep improving.' Last year counts, but it doesn't matter moving forward. We have to continue to improve.' Here are some other takeaways from sessions with the Broncos coordinators and their newest player, running back JK Dobbins: Payton answered questions about Dobbins after a third straight practice. The running back officially signed a one-year deal with the Broncos after initially visiting the team's headquarters last week. On Wednesday, it was time to hear from the man himself about his decision to join the Broncos nearly four months after his free-agent process began. 'It felt amazing,' Dobbins said about his first day as a member of the Broncos, which mostly included work on a side field as he got acclimated to his new surroundings. 'It's a true blessing to me. I'm so happy to be here. We're going to do some great things this year.' Dobbins rushed for 905 yards and nine touchdowns during his lone season with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024, a breakout that came after he missed all but nine games across the previous three seasons due to multiple significant injuries. The Chargers placed a seldom-used unrestricted free agent tender on Dobbins in April, which would have given them exclusive negotiating rights with Dobbins had he not joined a team by the start of training camp. That made for a unique free agency as Dobbins weighed his options before and after the draft, one Dobbins called 'stressful' at times. With a smile plastered to his face following his first Broncos practice, it was clear Dobbins was glad to have the process behind him. 'I'm a pretty patient person, and I was just feeling it out,' he said. '(I was) letting everything play out how it's supposed to be. It was a little stressful with some things that happened in there, but I knew I was going to get to where I needed to be. I am where I need to be.' JK Dobbins: 'It's a true blessing. I'm so glad to be here. We're going to do some great things this year.' — Nick Kosmider (@NickKosmider) June 11, 2025 Payton has made it clear there is not yet a defined pecking order in Denver's backfield, which also includes rookie second-round pick RJ Harvey and returning players Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estimé and Tyler Badie. 'Don't try to figure out the club right now,' Payton said. 'It's way too early.' But Dobbins, who has been in the NFL since joining the Baltimore Ravens as a second-round pick in 2020, brings an experienced veteran presence the Broncos didn't have in the room. That was an important part of the equation for Denver as it works to find the right mix at a position that must be more productive in 2025. Advertisement 'That is a guy who's had a lot of success in his career,' offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said. 'It's someone we've always had a lot of respect for. It adds talent and competition to that room. Obviously, he's been a very productive runner and he's a good pass protector. I think it will help the competition in that room and help the team.' Darren Rizzi hoped to be named the new head coach of the New Orleans Saints after serving as the team's interim coach for the second half of the 2024 season. The job went instead to Kellen Moore, leaving Rizzi in search of the next opportunity. Not that there was a lot of suspense about where the veteran coach would end up. With Payton having an opening for a special teams coordinator after firing Ben Kotwica, a reunion with Rizzi, who previously served the same role for Payton in New Orleans, was not a challenging dot to connect. 'I just think it was an easy match,' Rizzi said Wednesday. 'Obviously, having worked for Sean for three years and having been under him and learned, we're on the same page with a lot of things. He mentioned the word compatibility. I would say the three years I was with Sean, it was definitely that. Even when, obviously, he left the Saints, he still had a big stamp on that organization, so we continued to do a lot of the same things that he did when he was there. Just familiar with the coach, familiar with the person. We always got along great off the field as well, so for me it was an easy choice.' Rizzi has already had a noticeable imprint on the Broncos. Denver signed two potential special teams stalwarts during free agency in wide receiver Trent Sherfield Jr. and safety Sam Franklin. The Broncos used their fourth-round pick on Que Robinson, an outside linebacker who was a prolific special teams player at Alabama. They were also the only team to draft a punter, using their sixth-round selection on Florida's Jeremy Crawshaw, who has already made a strong impression on his new coach. 'Here's a guy that came from Australia, went to an SEC school, a top-level college program, had a ton of success,' Rizzi said. 'His maturity level, he's kind of beyond his years. When we were kind of evaluating all the punters in this draft, his name came up. I really feel like his intangibles, his off-the-field stuff, was A-plus. Now, his talent level is tremendous as well. I really believe that at that position, at a specialist position, your demeanor might be just as important as your ability because it's a one-play-and-done (job). You have to have the mentality of kind of a batter in baseball, if you will, or a golfer. You have to go on to the next swing. I really like his level-headedness.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store