The Denver Broncos have a lot to figure out this offseason. Their 2025 season ended in the AFC Championship game, a brutal loss to New England that came after quarterback Bo Nix got hurt the week before. That stings. But looking ahead to 2026, one thing they don’t have to worry about is their pass rush.
ESPN just dropped its annual edge rusher rankings, based on polling over 70 NFL executives, scouts and coaches. And for the first time, Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto made the list. He landed at No. 10, just barely cracking the top 10. He’s also the only first-time player on this year’s ranking.
“He’s got maybe the best get-off in the league,” one high-ranking personnel evaluator told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “Serious closing speed. He’s on the quarterback as soon as the ball’s snapped. Good spin move and excellent lower-body flexibility.”
Bonitto has been on a tear. The 26-year-old posted 13.5 sacks in 2024 and followed that up with 14 sacks in 2025. Back-to-back elite seasons like that will get you noticed. He’s turned himself into one of the league’s premier pass rushers.
But he’s not a complete player yet. The same scouting report that praises his explosiveness also notes some clear weaknesses.
Where Bonitto Still Needs to Improve
Fowler added that Bonitto’s 23.7% pass rush win rate off the edge ranked second in the entire NFL. That’s elite. But the knocks against him are pretty straightforward: he lacks raw power and isn’t great against the run. The Broncos believe he’s gotten better in both areas, though. And if Denver’s defense is going to stay among the best in football, they need him to keep developing.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has built a unit that can carry the team when the offense sputters. Bonitto is a huge part of that. But if the Broncos can get more consistent quarterback play in 2026 — whether that’s a healthy Nix or someone else — this team could finally make a Super Bowl run.
For now, Bonitto’s name is on the national radar in a way it wasn’t before. And that’s a win for a Denver defense that’s quietly become one of the league’s most dangerous.
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