Broncos might scale back Nik Bonitto's snaps in 2025
After playing 524 snaps in 2023 and recording eight sacks, Nik Bonitto's snaps jumped to 708 in 2024 and he had a breakout season.
Bonitto earned a Pro Bowl invite and a second-team All-Pro selection after totaling 13.5 sacks, 24 quarterback hits, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two defensive touchdowns and one interception in 2024. It was an amazing season for the 25-year-old edge defender, but Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton has indicated the team needs to be more mindful of managing Bonitto's snaps going forward.
'He's playing at a high level," Payton said during mandatory minicamp. "We have to be careful of his snap count. If you went back and did any homework and you saw he's at a pitch count that's borderline too high. We have to be smart about that.'
The Broncos have the luxury of scaling back Bonitto's workload and still getting high production on the edge due to their impressive depth at the position. In addition to Bonitto, Denver also has Jonathon Cooper (27), Jonah Elliss (22), Dondrea Tillman (27) and rookie Que Robinson (24).
'We're in a young developmental league," Payton said. "So to have young guys that we have a vision for is extremely important because it's hard for guys to stay healthy with a long season. Your depth — you're creating all of that.'
Bonitto is coming off a career year, but the Broncos might spread out the pass rush snaps a little more evenly in 2025. That's not necessarily a bad thing for Bonitto as it will allow him to stay fresh, and it shouldn't necessarily cause a dip in his production. Entering a contract year, Bonitto will aim to build on last season's impressive campaign.
Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
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