Latest news with #NikBonitto
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Contract Proposed for Broncos' All-Pro Edge Rusher Nik Bonitto
New Contract Proposed for Broncos' All-Pro Edge Rusher Nik Bonitto originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Led by edge rusher Nik Bonitto, the Denver Broncos had one of the NFL's top defenses in 2024, allowing just 18.3 points per game. Advertisement Bonitto led the Broncos with 13.5 of the team's 63 sacks, on his way to a second-team All-Pro season and Pro Bowl appearance in 2024. That was a major jump in production from 1.5 sacks in his rookie season in 2022 and eight sacks in 2023. It may surprise you to hear that Bonitto was third in the NFL in sacks, just behind the highly-paid Miles Garrett (14) and Trey Hendrickson (17.5). Hendrickson is holding out for an extension right now, and according to Tom Blair of Bonitto should be too. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) tries to avoid a tackle by Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images The 25-year-old out of Oklahoma was a second-round pick in 2022. He is still on his rookie contract, which means he is making less than $1.5 million this season. Advertisement Here is how Blair breaks it down. "Dividing Bonitto's APY [$1.45 million] by his team-leading 13.5 sacks in 2024 works out to $107,407 per sack in APY. That might seem like a decent amount, until you put it next to Trey Hendrickson's APY-per-sack mark of $1.2 million," Blair wrote. Throw in the fact that Blair believes Hendrickson is currently underpaid, which means Bonitto is making almost 10 times less than he could be. It might be hard to convince the Broncos to put an extension together with such a cheap deal. However, Bonitto's contract ends after the 2025-2026 season, which means the Broncos will have to pay up anyway if they want to keep the star defender going forward. Advertisement It will be up to head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton to decide if Related: Broncos Suggested to Trade for Former 1,000-Yard RB This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Broncos' Nik Bonitto has wild response to PFF snub
The post Broncos' Nik Bonitto has wild response to PFF snub appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Denver Broncos are riding high after snapping their playoff drought in 2024, but linebacker Nik Bonitto is still playing with something to prove. Despite elite production, Bonitto was left off Pro Football Focus' top 10 rankings for interior defensive linemen — and he wasted no time sharing his thoughts on social media. Advertisement Bonitto quote-tweeted PFF's post on X, formerly known as Twitter, firing back with a simple yet cutting reply. '🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 not serious' The timing of Bonitto's post couldn't be sharper. As the 2025 NFL offseason unfolds, the former Oklahoma star is coming off his third season — and by far his most dominant. Bonitto logged 13.5 sacks in 2024, ranking third in the league behind only Trey Hendrickson and Myles Garrett, and earned second-team All-Pro honors while anchoring the Broncos defense. Despite those accomplishments, PFF left the pass rusher off its top 10 rankings — a move many viewed as a snub. While the list technically highlighted interior linemen, the omission stirred debate, especially considering Bonitto's elite 92.6 coverage grade — the highest among all edge defenders. Advertisement The PFF edge rusher rankings for 2025 also placed Bonitto 23rd overall, a placement that feels low given his sack production, versatility, and overall impact on the field. His performance helped lead a defensive turnaround in Denver, as the Broncos ended the 2024 season with a 10-7 record and snapped their postseason drought. While they fell short in the Wild Card round against Buffalo, the team made massive strides under head coach Sean Payton and rookie quarterback Bo Nix. The former Oregon standout showed poise throughout the year, giving fans hope that Denver finally has long-term stability at the position. Bonitto's snub may be frustrating, but it's not unfamiliar. He's continued to rise each year since being selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. His growth into a defensive leader was on full display last season — both on the field and off. From a pick-six to a youth charity event in Denver, Bonitto's impact extends far beyond just stats. If this offseason proves anything, it's that Bonitto isn't going to quietly accept being overlooked. And come September, the Broncos defense might just let the tape speak louder than any rankings.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
NFL owners make ruling on players competing in Olympics
NFL owners have voted in favor of allowing players to compete in the 2028 L.A. Olympics, with flag football being the main draw for players. There is a caveat that no more than one player per NFL team can be picked for an Olympic squad, with the exception that international players with roster exemptions are also allowed to represent their respective countries. So, if the Denver Broncos have an international player on their roster in 2028, they could have up to two players participate in the 2028 Olympics that summer. Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain could be a potential coverage candidate for Team USA's defense, and a pass rusher like Nik Bonitto and a speedy wide receiver like Marvin Mims could also draw interest from the Olympic squad. Advertisement The 2028 Olympics are scheduled to be held from July 14-30, so there should be minimal overlap for NFL offseason programs. Most clubs begin training camp in late July, and no team would be missing more than two players if camp starts before the Olympics wrap up. Flag football is coming to the Olympics, and at least one Broncos player could be involved. Just three more years to go. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans. This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL news: Owners make ruling on players competing in Olympics
New York Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Why Broncos' draft was about sustaining one of the NFL's best defensive fronts
Sai'vion Jones heard from some of his new teammates among the Denver Broncos' defensive front in the days after the team selected him in the third round of last month's NFL Draft. The defensive end from LSU emerged from those brief interactions eager to begin forming more substantive bonds with the veterans once they join the first-year players at OTAs later this month. Advertisement Until then, Jones spent time getting familiar with the considerable skill sets of the players he'd be lining up with once practices began, poring over film from a 2024 season that saw Denver lead the NFL with 63 sacks, a franchise record. He watched how the group worked in concert, seamlessly executing stunts and other pass-rushing wiles to free up lanes to the quarterback. Asked for his evaluation of the group, Jones' initial response was more of a sound than a word. 'Sheeeesh!' he said. It was a fair summation of Denver's attacking defensive front last season. The top four players in sacks — Nik Bonitto (13.5), Jonathan Cooper (10.5), Zach Allen (8.5) and John Franklin-Myers (seven) — all set new career-high marks in QB takedowns. First-year players Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman added five apiece. It was a group that played selflessly, all eager to absorb chips and double-teams on any given play because they knew it meant someone else would be making a beeline to the quarterback. A whopping 97.6 percent of that production remains on Denver's roster heading into 2025. Cody Barton (1.5 sacks in 2024) is the only player who contributed to last year's total no longer on the team. 'Just being able to study their game and be in a room with the team that produced the most sacks in the league, it makes you want to study them,' Jones said at the team's rookie minicamp earlier this month. 'Having that chance to be in that room for a young guy like me is like being a sponge, soaking up all of the experience.' Last year was about rearranging the pieces to build one of the best defensive fronts in football. Signing Malcolm Roach in free agency. Trading for Franklin-Myers. Taking Elliss early in the third round. Pursuing Tillman as he was finishing a season in the UFL. All those moves, combined with the continued development of homegrown pass rushers Bonitto and Cooper and a breakthrough season for Allen, hit for the Broncos in a major way. Advertisement The moves Denver made in the draft were about sustainability. 'It's really important to build on a strength when you have them,' general manager George Paton said before adding Jones and Alabama edge rusher Que Robinson in the draft. Sai'vion Jones was drafted in round 3 pick 101 in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.20 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 163 out of 2029 DE from 1987 to 2025. — (@MathBomb) April 26, 2025 The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles have drawn the blueprint on perpetually pouring resources into the front seven on defense, consistently plucking players from SEC schools and throwing them onto an assembly line of quarterback mashers. General manager Howie Roseman did it again in April when he used a late first-round pick on Georgia linebacker Jihaad Campbell, the fourth defensive player from Alabama or Georgia selected by the Eagles in the first round since 2022. Philadelphia has drafted nine defensive players from the SEC in that same span, most of them front-seven figures. Whether the Broncos are following that formula with Jones and Robinson is part of a larger trend or a one-off coincidence will only be revealed with time, but those particular moves will play a big role in how the Broncos try to build their defense long-term. Three of the main figures behind Denver's pass-rushing explosion last season — Bonitto, Allen and Franklin-Myers — are entering the final years of their contracts and each player is in line for a significant raise, be it from the Broncos or another team in free agency. The Broncos extended Cooper late last season on a four-year, $60 million deal. As Denver navigates that financial puzzle, all while operating on the bigger picture that is quarterback Bo Nix's rookie contract window, flexibility is critical. And that's where Jones and Robinson enter the picture. Both players have a path to contributing roles in 2025, but they were drafted with the future featuring more prominently in the overall vision. Advertisement Jones, at 6-foot-5, 289 pounds, is built similarly to Allen and Franklin-Myers, with a lengthy frame the Broncos like at the end position in coordinator Vance Joseph's defense. Despite playing four years at LSU, Jones is only 21, making him the second-youngest player on Denver's roster. He had his best season in 2024, finishing with 4.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. 'He kind of fits our mold of defensive line,' Paton said. 'We feel like he can continue to grow in that role. He'll play end for us, but he has flexibility down the line of scrimmage. This guy is long. He's strong, plays with really good leverage. Then he's improving as a rusher. You could see that throughout the season, then you got to the Senior Bowl. We thought he had a really good week and played really well in the game. So he's just going to keep getting better.' Robinson was a standout special teams player at Alabama, where he was stuck in a logjam defensively behind first-round picks Will Anderson (2023) and Dallas Turner (2024). His relative breakthrough in 2024 — career-best four sacks in nine games before suffering a season-ending injury — speaks to his pass-rushing upside, but his transition to the NFL could begin as a versatile core piece for new special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. 'I like to win. If that means running down on kickoffs 5,000 times and being on punt 4,000 times, I want to do it,' Robinson said. 'I like to win. That's my huge driving force in terms of being a football player. I just like to win and am willing to do whatever it takes to win a game, for sure.' As easy as the Eagles have made it look while building a defense that has ranked second in sacks and fifth in pressure rate since 2022, sustaining an effective pass rush year over year is a significant roster-building challenge. The Bengals finished 11th in both sacks and pressure rate in 2021, when they came within a drive of winning the Super Bowl. In the three seasons since, they rank 27th in sacks and 22nd in pressure rate, which is a major reason they have missed the playoffs the past two seasons despite having one of the best offensive trios in the sport in quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The Broncos that the selections of Jones and Robinson will ultimately help avoid a steep drop from the considerable heights their defensive front has reached. In the meantime, they are sponges ready to absorb. 'Ultimately,' Robinson said of Denver's defense, 'you can learn anything and everything from anybody.' (Top photo of Sav'ion Jones: Maria Lysaker / Imagn Images)
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL owners make ruling on players competing in Olympics
NFL owners make ruling on players competing in Olympics NFL owners have voted in favor of allowing players to compete in the 2028 L.A. Olympics, with flag football being the main draw for players. There is a caveat that no more than one player per NFL team can be picked for an Olympic squad, with the exception that international players with roster exemptions are also allowed to represent their respective countries. So, if the Denver Broncos have an international player on their roster in 2028, they could have up to two players participate in the 2028 Olympics that summer. Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain could be a potential coverage candidate for Team USA's defense, and a pass rusher like Nik Bonitto and a speedy wide receiver like Marvin Mims could also draw interest from the Olympic squad. 'It's an incredible honor for any athlete to represent their country in the Olympics, which is the pinnacle of global sport,' NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. 'I know first-hand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics has sparked a tremendous amount of excitement among NFL players interested in the chance to compete for their country on the world stage. We are thrilled that they will now have that chance.' The 2028 Olympics are scheduled to be held from July 14-30, so there should be minimal overlap for NFL offseason programs. Most clubs begin training camp in late July, and no team would be missing more than two players if camp starts before the Olympics wrap up. Flag football is coming to the Olympics, and at least one Broncos player could be involved. Just three more years to go. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
