The Denver Broncos are in an unenviable position of aiming to win while rebuilding during the upcoming 2024 NFL season.
In a lot of ways, the upcoming campaign hinges on prioritizing first-round rookie quarterback Bo Nix’s development, while also looking to make significant progress in Sean Payton’s second season as head coach.
Premier talent emerging on the defensive side of the ball may prove pivotal in both aspects, as a strong and stingy Broncos defense would take pressure off of Nix and a young offense.
Is Former Second-Round Pick the Denver Broncos’ 2024 Breakout Star?
The Broncos chose linebacker Nik Bonitto in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, yet through his first two seasons, the former Oklahoma standout has yet to produce 50 total tackles combined in his career.
There is some optimism that that could change with Vance Joseph’s return as Denver’s defensive coordinator this fall.
Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team lists Bonitto as one of the breakout stars to watch, defensively, league-wide for the upcoming season.
“For Bonitto to take the next step as a player,” Mosher writes. “He has to improve as a run defender. And that was the knock on him coming out of Oklahoma. Bonitto measured in at 6-3 and 248 pounds at the NFL Combine, which is certainly on the smaller side for an EDGE rusher. But because of his speed, quickness, and flexibility, he’s been able to make it work due to his pass-rush skills. He can be a special pass rusher and we saw that in spurts last season when he was on the field.
“Bonitto earned more snaps in Year 2, but he played on fewer than 200 run-down snaps. Denver brought him on the field in obvious passing-down situations, but he was far from a full-time player because he’s struggled to hold up against the run. That’ll need to change if he wants to have a breakout season, but he has all of the tools to be a double-digit sack player provided that he can play enough snaps. Look for Vance Joseph to find a way to get him on the field more often in 2024.”
Last season, Bonitto produced a career-high 30 tackles with eight sacks, underscoring his ability to get after the quarterback and create havoc in the backfield. Yet, as Mosher points out, Pro Football Focus gives Bonitto a meager 53.9 run-stopping grade for the 2023 season.
If Bonitto can continue on his trajectory as a pass-rush presence when deployed off the edge and improve against the run, he could prove to be a key cog in Denver’s defense in 2024 and beyond.
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