Sean Payton Singles Out Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto: 'He's Really helped Us'

The Denver Broncos are pleased with how Nik Bonitto has developed in Year 3.

Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) celebrates after a play during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Despite their 16-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Denver Broncos found their groove on the defense against the always-challenging Patrick Mahomes offense. It wasn’t a perfect game for the Broncos defense, which allowed Kansas City to convert on multiple third-and-longs and failed to record a takeaway for a second straight week, but Vance Joseph's unit did more than enough to walk out of Arrowhead with a win.

What made the Broncos defense so ferocious in Kansas City? The combination of stopping the run and getting after Mahomes ensured the Chiefs had to earn every yard and point.

Giving up only 57 yards on the ground at 3.0 yards per carry and pressuring Mahomes on 17 of his 41 pass attempts, if not for an egregious blocked field goal as time expired, the Chiefs’ perfect season would be over. Even in a losing effort, there were plenty of standouts for the Broncos.

One player had arguably the best game of his entire NFL career: rush linebacker Nik Bonitto. The third-year defender had primarily been more of a designated pass rusher through the first two seasons in the league.

“He’s certainly made the leap," head coach Sean Payton said on Monday. "He’s getting more snaps. He’s getting more pass-rush snaps. I think the key for Nik was playing the run and running at him."

Coming out of Oklahoma at 6-foot-3 and 248 pounds, there were questions about how Bonitto could hold up in run defense on early downs to match his explosiveness, speed, and bend as a pass rusher. These questions pushed him to the bottom of the second round despite excellent testing and pass-rushing statistics for the Sooners.

The Broncos were able to see what life would be like with Bonitto playing a higher percentage of snaps and early-down reps earlier this season following the foot injury of Baron Browning in Week 2. The play of Bonitto over this stretch, as well as the Broncos extending Jonathon Cooper, made the Broncos’ brass feel comfortable enough to trade Browning for a sixth-round pick and free up more snaps for Bonitto to take advantage of on the edge.

"He’s at the right weight now," Payton said of Bonitto. "He’s a guy that plays with real good bend. He can bend and torque his body. He has a lot in the tank relative to his pass rush, and what he wants to do and how to set somebody up. He’s really helped us.”

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It’s just a one game sample size, but the immediate returns of Bonitto as a starter were fantastic for the Broncos vs. Kansas City. Notching 45 snaps out of 68 total defensive plays on Sunday, Bonitto tallied an outstanding six pressures, two hits, three hurries, and one sack against the Chiefs.

Bonitto could have arguably had an even better day had he better wrapped up Mahomes a few times; on one such snap, the QB spun and was able to throw the ball away, while he was able to escape on another and make a play.

There was also that “penalty” called against Brandon Jones for illegal touching that wiped away a massive Bonitto sack on a third down that would have put the Chiefs out of field goal range. Instead, the drive led to a Travis Kelce touchdown.

Of Bonitto’s six pressures in the game, three were categorized as “quick pressures” in which he got home in 2.5 seconds or less (and maybe 4-of-7 if one wants to include the sack that was wiped off for the previously discussed penalty.) On the season, Bonitto is tied for 21st in the league with 31 pressures accumulated, but his pass-rush productivity grade ranks top 10 per Pro Football Focus. 

Bonitto will continue to be given a chance at more reps on the defense going forward this season. If he can repeat his performance on Sunday against the Chiefs and take advantage of the one-on-one opportunities as a pass rusher generated by Zach Allen commanding double teams inside and Joseph dialing up blitzes as one of the more aggressive defensive coordinators in the NFL, the Broncos will have a chance to finish with one of the best defenses and pass rushes in the NFL.

The Broncos might also want to start thinking about a new Bonitto contract as pass rushers with his ability to generate pressure tend to command monstrous money on the open market.

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