Nik Bonitto injures leg in practice

Per the Denver Post’s Luca Evans, Bonitto injured his wrist by “slamming the ground” moments after the Broncos’ Week 2 loss to the Colts. He then played the rest of the season with a large club on his right hand. Despite the issue, Bonitto still totaled 17 sacks this season.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal is worth “up to” $120 million, with $70 million fully guaranteed. Bonitto is now the highest-paid non-quarterback in franchise history for Denver. A former second-round pick, Bonitto has gotten better every year of his career, culminating in a breakout 2024 headlined by 13.5 sacks. He added a pair of forced fumbles, one fumble recovery for a touchdown, and a pick-six to his ledger as well. Bonitto is one of several high-impact defenders that make the Broncos’ defense one of the best in the league. They get to tee off on rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward for the 2025 opener this week.

The small procedure reportedly required three stitches. Bonitto and the Broncos are currently in talks about a possible extension following his 15-sack season in 2024. Hopefully, the talented pass rusher returns without issue.

The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider shares the news via an interview with Bonitto, who earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors last year. PFF credits Bonitto with 57 quarterback pressures, 15 sacks, 20 tackles and one forced fumble in 2024. Bonitto is scheduled to enter free agency after the season. Expect the Broncos to prevent that by securing his services for three or more seasons.

The Broncos opened Dulcich’s 21-day window for return earlier in the week but won’t be activating him before Saturday’s contest against the Lions. The second-year tight end has dealt with injuries all season and has appeared in only two games for the Broncos this season. We’ll see if he’s able to get on the field in Week 16 when the Broncos take on the Patriots. In addition to Dulcich, the Broncos also ruled out LB Nick Bonitto (knee).

Bonitto exited Sunday’s contest against the Chargers in the first quarter and did not return. He was spotted in a brace after the game and could be looking at missing some time, depending on the severity of the injury. We’ll likely know more about his injury in the coming days, but for now, the Broncos could be forced to play without their sack leader in Week 15 against the Lions.

Hamler was ruled out on Friday and didn’t look particularly close to playing, but Nathaniel Hackett said the team was trying to avoid a setback in comments later that day. Tyrie Cleveland projects as Denver’s No. 3 wideout, but it should just serve to narrow the passing game options for Russell Wilson against the Texans. Also inactive for Denver are WR Jalen Virgil, OLB Nik Bonitto, LB Josey Jewell, OT Billy Turner, G Quinn Meinerz, and DL Eyioma Uwazurike. Randy Gregory (shoulder/knee) is active.

An accomplished two-sport athlete who received several scholarship offers for basketball, Bonitto (6’3/248) chose to eschew hardwood glory to pursue a career on the gridiron. It proved to be a prescient decision as he was the only player in the nation who recorded back-to-back seasons with a PFF pass-rush grade of 90.0 or more while generating a superb 22.4 percent win rate in that span. His 11.1 percent pressure rate was tops in the nation last year. Bonitto has elite speed and agility that was backed up by an impressive Combine, where he tested at an 85th-percentile level or better in every single test except for the bench, adding up to an elite 9.37 relative athletic score. He gets off the line quickly with a smooth shoulder dip and will bait opposing tackles with a slide step right off the snap that leaves blockers whiffing on contact. Bonitto has enough pop in his hands to keep opponents honest but is undersized against the run and prefers to go around blocks than take them on. Best suited as a 3-4 OLB, he has all the tools to be a pocket-wrecking edge in the mold of Giants LB Aziz Ojulari but could stand to add some size.

Buffalo signed EDGE Von Miller this offseason, but could still add more defensive studs via the draft. Of this group, Winfrey is the highest touted player, and added to his hype during Senior Bowl week. He has been mocked to the first round by some analysts, and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah ranked him as the 45th best player in this year’s draft. Both Bonitto and Asamoah are projected Day 2 picks.

There are some great pass rushers in this year’s draft, and you will see quite a few taken in the first round. Teams that want to address other needs in the first round should look to take Bonitto (6'3/240) later in the draft. He was a three-year starter at Oklahoma and in his final season, he finished with 39 tackles, seven sacks, and one forced fumble while also producing the highest pass-rush win rate in all of College Football. His combine numbers should have the scout’s attention with a 4.54 40-yard dash and an NFL Next Gen Prospect Grade of 6.33. He’s someone teams should be eyeing as a Day 2 pickup.