Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto made 13.5 sacks in 2024 and finished ninth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. In 2025, he had 14 sacks and was fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
He expects a similar jump from 2025 to 2026 but likely sees even more attention from the opponent. He spent the offseason studying other top pass rushers to see how they dealt with double teams.
Bonitto said Thursday he hopes to improve in “all facets” of his game this season.
“I still have a lot of room to grow in my game — in the run and in the pass,” Bonitto said, via Aric DiLalla of the team website. “Just keep trying to fine-tune these things, keep looking at other guys around the league that are doing it at a high level and seeing how I can put it into my game to continue to be the best player I know I can be.”
Bonitto might have been even better in two postseason games, forcing two fumbles, including a strip-sack, along with three tackles, a quarterback hit and a tackle for loss. Bonitto’s two forced fumbles led to six points in Denver’s 33-30 overtime win over the Bills.
“It’s obviously great when you can do it in the regular season,” Bonitto said, “but doing it in the postseason in those big type of moments, it gives you that confidence to know you’re supposed to be there, and you can make those types of plays on big stages.”
