Sean Payton wants Nik Bonitto to improve as a run defender. On Sunday night against the Packers, the speedy edge rusher seemed ready to answer the call.
In the second quarter Green Bay was positioned at its 11-yard line, and running back Emanuel Wilson received a handoff before getting stopped by Bonitto and defensive lineman Angelo Blackson for a 2-yard gain. On second down, Bonitto read the run play perfectly as he greeted running back Ellis Merriweather in the backfield for a 2-yard loss.
Bonitto is known for being a pure pass rusher and one of the fastest players in Denver’s outside linebacker rotation. As he gears up for his third season with the Broncos, Bonitto seeks to improve as a run defender and evolve into a complete defender.
“I’ve been getting my play strength and weight up so I can be stout in the run game and be able to hold the edge,” said Bonitto after Denver’s 27-2 preseason victory over the Packers on Sunday.
Bonitto was sidelined in the preseason opener against Indianapolis and has been in and out of practices since the start of training camp due to a back injury. Bonitto said the injury occurred before training camp and he is still trying to get himself back into game shape.
“It’s alright now,” Bonitto said. “I’m getting to where it’s 100% (healthy) and being able to play through it.”
Bonitto looked like he was getting back to his old self in Denver’s joint practice against the Packers last Friday when he got to the backfield and forced Packers quarterback Jordan Love to throw a pick-six to Alex Singleton.
On Sunday, Bonitto finished with a pair of tackles and a quarterback hit and batted down a pass attempt in the second quarter.
“Nik is a special rusher,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said.
The Broncos have high expectations for their outside linebacker room, especially Bonitto, whom Payton says can set the edge well and is more confident than he was a year ago.
In Bonitto’s sophomore campaign, he tallied eight sacks, 30 tackles and 20 quarterback hits. He also had a pressure rate of 18.5% in 15 games (four starts), according to Next Gen Stats.
“He had a great year,” Joseph said. “Even with missed time, he had a pretty good year. He’s a natural rusher, and it’s my job to find spots for him to kind of showcase that.”
The key for Bonitto in Year 3 is consistency. He had 5.5 sacks in the first five games last season, including 2.5 and a forced fumble against the Chicago Bears. However, he recorded only 2.5 sacks in the final 12 games and missed two due to injury.
As a whole, Denver’s outside linebacker room hopes for improvement in its pass rush production and defending the run after the Broncos allowed 137.1 yards per game and 4.97 per play — 32nd in the NFL — in 2023.
“I don’t think we liked how we played the run game last year as a defense,” outside linebacker Baron Browning said. “I know we just (have) been trying to be more stout up front and set a very physical and aggressive mindset. We just (have) been trying to hold each other to that standard each and every day.”
Denver’s defense relies on its edge rusher rotation that consists of Browning, Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. The preseason success from Jonah Elliss could lead to the rookie outside linebacker landing a meaningful role within the rotation this fall.
Against the Packers, Elliss recorded three tackles, a quarterback hit and a strip-sack, which Bonitto helped with by creating pressure on rookie signal-caller Michael Pratt.
“In the NFL, you never know who can go down, so (it’s important) to have Jonah and even guys like Durell (Nchami) and Thomas (Incoom),” Bonitto said. “Having depth is the key.”
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