Tag: Jonah Elliss

Jonah Elliss celebrated his brother making a play for the other team

Jonah Elliss celebrated Kaden Elliss making a tackle vs. the Broncos on Sunday, then he wrote his brother a funny message after the game.

You don’t see this often.

After tackling Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims on punt coverage duty, Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kaden Davis received some love from a player on the opposite team on Sunday afternoon.

Jonah Elliss, Kaden’s brother who plays for the Broncos, jumped up on Kaden and gave him a celebratory smack on the helmet after the tackle. KCNC-TV cameras captured the moment showing both brothers with big smiles:

ā€œLots of giggles, man,” Kaden said after the game when asked about playing against his brother. “Lots of laughs. It was a dream come true to see him on the field and get to go out and block him a little bit or at least try to.ā€

Kaden ended the day with nine tackles, tied for second-most in the game. Jonah joined in the fun with a sack in the third quarter:

After the game, the brothers exchanged signed jerseys:

Kaden wrote a wholesome note you’d expect from a role model big brother: “Jonah, Goof! I couldn’t be more proud. I love you! All 4 the King! Kaden Elliss #55 John 3:16.”

Jonah’s message reflected a taunting younger brother: “Jonah Ellis #52, 1-0.”

Football is family.

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Broncos and Falcons have brothers who will face off on Sunday

Brothers Kaden Elliss (Falcons) and Jonah Elliss (Broncos) are set to face off for the first time in the NFL on Sunday.

Five years ago, Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints used a seventh-round pick to select Idaho linebacker Kaden Elliss in the 2019 NFL draft.

Payton stepped down from his role with the Saints in 2022 and Elliss became a free agent following that season. Payton later joined the Denver Broncos and Ellis signed with the Atlanta Falcons.

This spring, Payton used a third-round pick to select Kaden’s younger brother, Utah pass rusher Jonah Elliss, in the 2024 NFL draft.

It’s quite a football family.

Luther Elliss started the family’s NFL journey by playing as a defensive lineman for the Detroit Lions (1995-2003) and Broncos (2004). Luther and his wife, Rebecca, now have three sons playing in the NFL: Kaden (Atlanta), Jonah (Denver) and Christian (New England Patriots). A fourth son, Noah, spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2022-2024.

ā€œI know itā€™s a large family,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. “Obviously, the father ā€” Iā€™ve done this long enough, I can recall coaching against their father. We drafted Kaden in New Orleans. [This year], weā€™re one team away from being on the clock and weā€™re going to take his brother, but man weā€™re hoping ā€” I think Atlanta in fact was the pick ahead of us. I turned to George [Paton] and I said, [Terry] Fontenot ā€” Terry is the general manager and was working with us then ā€” ā€™Terryā€™s going to draft the brother, I know it.ā€™ They drafted another player and then we were excited obviously to make our selection.

“Then I got a text right away from Kaden. I wonā€™t tell you what it said, but I would say the exposure with Kaden really helped us understand the football mindset as it pertained to the next pick. Now when we drafted Kaden, he was playing a little bit more of an edge. Heā€™s now playing inside, but heā€™s still a pressure player. If you said, ā€˜Which of the linebackers pressures the most or blitzes the most?ā€™ Heā€™s the one. That doesnā€™t mean the others donā€™t, but heā€™s a very good pash rusher. Heā€™s really transitioned to a really good inside linebacker. [Iā€™m] proud for him.ā€

This week, Jonah and Kaden will play against each other for the first time in the NFL. They both play on defense, but the brothers could face off on special teams. You can count on a post-game family photo after the final whistle blows on Sunday afternoon.

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Broncos’ updated OLB depth chart after Baron Browning trade

The Broncos still have plenty of depth at outside linebacker even after trading Baron Browning.

After agreeing to trade pass rusher Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday, the Denver Broncos still have impressive depth at outside linebacker.

The team’s top pass rusher remains Jonathon Cooper, who just signed a four-year, $60 million contract extension. Next up is former second-round draft pick Nik Bonitto, who leads the team with six sacks this season. Cooper (5.5 sacks) and Bonitto will remain Denver’s top edge defenders.

Providing rotational depth behind Cooper and Bonitto are Jonah Ellis, a third-round pick in April, and Dondrea Tillman, a gem from the UFL.

The depth doesn’t stop there. The Broncos also have Andrew Farmer on the practice squad and the team is hopeful that Drew Sanders (Achilles) will be able to return from the physically unable to perform list this season.

Broncos OLB depth chart

OLB1: Jonathon Cooper
OLB2: Nik Bonitto
OLB3: Jonah Ellis
OLB4: Dondrea TillmanĀ 
OLB5: Andrew Farmer
PUP: Drew Sanders

Denver’s still in good shape at the position after parting ways with Browning. The NFL’s trade deadline is 2:00 p.m. MT on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

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Broncos rookie pass rusher Jonah Elliss has ‘very high’ upside

Broncos rookie pass rusher Jonah Elliss dominated in preseason. Now he’ll look to make his mark in the regular season.

After being picked by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft out of Utah, outside linebacker Jonah Elliss impressed in preseason with six pressures, two sacks and one forced fumble. Two of his pressures also forced interceptions.

In Denver, Elliss reunited with former college teammate Devaughn Vele, a wide receiver who was picked by the Broncos in the seventh round.Ā 

ā€œTheyā€™re getting the ā€˜Mayor of Sack Lake City,ā€™ā€ Vele said of Elliss. ā€œHeā€™s a heck of a player. I was super excited for him, and itā€™s awesome to be reunited with him and bringing that Utah culture to Broncos [Country].ā€

Elliss figures to serve as a rotational pass rusher early in the season behind starters Baron Browning and Jonathon Cooper.

ā€œYou know Jonah [has] a lot of natural skill,” Browning said. “I think his upside is very high, but like any rookie, there is a learning curve from playing in college to the NFL. I think heā€™s just going to continue to develop and continue to get better.

“Iā€™m happy with what Iā€™ve seen, but obviously I know he has high expectations for himself. Not only him, but our whole unit. Just like I said, Iā€™m excited to see him keep growing.ā€

Even after a dominant showing in preseason, Elliss knows there’s room for improvement.Ā Asked about his strengths and weaknesses, Elliss gave an honest assessment.Ā 

ā€œI feel like my effort is elite when it comes to the game, but I think that is just how I was raised,ā€ Elliss said. ā€œI think Iā€™m a great pass rusher in the back formation as well. Somewhere I need to grow is just protecting the little things, the little techniques and switching that through my run game.ā€

Elliss will likely rotate in with Nik Bonitto as a situation pass rusher as a rookie. He has the talent to eventually emerge as a starter, but Elliss will work on refining his craft as a rotational player to begin his pro career.

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2 Broncos players made PFF’s 2024 All-Preseason Team

Broncos QB Bo Nix and OLB Jonah Elliss made Pro Football Focusā€™ All-Preseason Team this summer.

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix and pass rusher Jonah Elliss both made Pro Football Focus‘ All-Preseason Team this summer. While it’s obviously not the equivalent to an All-Pro nod, it is a good sign for the team’s future.

Nix had an excellent preseason, going 23-of-30 passing for 211 yards and two touchdowns while completing just under 77% of his passes. Yes, it was only preseason, but it was enough to land the starting job over Jarrett Stidham.

Elliss also had a strong showing in preseason. The third-round draft pick totaled six pressures, two sacks and one forced fumble in preseason. His pressures also forced two interceptions.

The Broncos will kick off their 2024 NFL season against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Sept. 8. Nix will start in Seattle and Elliss will likely serve as a rotational pass rusher. They both appear to have bright futures in Denver turning in impressive performances in preseason.

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All but one member of the Broncos’ draft class made 53-man roster

“Obviously, time will tell as we get to the regular season, but we like the class so far,” Broncos GM George Paton said.

Six of the seven rookies the Denver Broncos picked in the 2024 NFL draft have made the team’s initial 53-man roster. The only exception was offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo, who was sidelined for much of training camp and preseason due to injury.

Quarterback Bo Nix, pass rusher Jonah Elliss, wide receiverĀ Troy Franklin, cornerbackĀ Kris Abrams-Draine, running backĀ Audric Estime and receiverĀ Devaughn VeleĀ all made the active roster.

Three undrafted free agent signees — running back Blake Watson, offensive tackle Frank Crum and linebacker Levelle Bailey — also made the squad.

“Weā€™re encouraged by the rookie class, both the draft picks and the free agents,” Broncos general manager George Paton said during a Zoom call with reporters on Tuesday. “I think it’s nine total is what you said, we just got done. It’s a credit to our personnel departments and our sports performance with the development of these players. Obviously, time will tell as we get to the regular season, but we like the class so far.

“Jonah Elliss is everything we saw in college. [He] plays with his hair on fire and he obviously can rush the passer. He’s gotten better in the run game and he’s gotten stronger, so we like the track that he’s on. Troy Franklin, you see the talent every day. [He’s] a work in progress as a receiver, but he’s learning. You see the speed and the playmaking. We see it in practice. He’s coming on as is Audric Estime. Estime, we liked. He’s strong, he’s big, heā€™s powerful, he can catch and he can protect.

“Then Kris Abrams-Draine, he was probably the slowest starter in the offseason ā€” a little behind the group. Then he’s caught up quickly as we got through camp and as we got through the games. [He got] more confidence and more playmaking ability. We feel like he’s game-ready if he has to play. [We’re] really encouraged with him.

“Then Vele is mature, as we know. [He] plays like it and plays like a pro. [We] feel like he can play in a game in Seattle if he has too. We like him as well. [With] Gargiulo, just a small sample size.”

Gargiulo figures to have a good chance to make the 17-player practice squad. We will track all of the team’s moves today on Broncos Wire.

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Broncos rolling with 4 pass rushers on initial 53-man roster

After parting with Dondrea Tillman, Thomas Incoom andĀ Durell Nchami, the Broncos have Browning, Cooper, Elliss and Bonitto at OLB.

The Denver Broncos are rolling with four pass rushers on their initial 53-man roster for the 2024 NFL season.

After waiving Dondrea Tillman and Thomas Incoom on Tuesday and movingĀ Durell Nchami to injured reserve, the Broncos are left with Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss and Nik Bonitto at outside linebacker.

Tillman and Incoom will presumably be priority targets for Denver’s practice squad if they clear waivers. Nchami could potentially reach an injury settlement and return later, or the Broncos could put him on short-term IR with the possibility of returning after four games.

To begin the season, though, Denver is rolling with Browning, Cooper, Elliss and Bonitto. The Broncos could also look to the waiver wire to add depth, but that’s the quartet of pass rushers at the moment.

Denver needs to finalize an initial 53-man roster by 2 p.m. MT today. We are tracking all of the team’sĀ roster moves on Broncos Wire.

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Broncos rookie pass rusher Jonah Elliss is dominating in preseason

The Broncos may have found a steal in third-round draft pick Jonah Elliss.

The Denver Broncos might have gotten a steal when they picked Utah pass rusher Jonah Elliss in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

After the draft, Broncos coach Sean Payton revealed that Denver had a second-round grade on Elliss, but the team didn’t hold a second-round pick. So they were delighted when he fell to them in the third round.

NFL teams might regret letting that happen.

Through two preseason games, Elliss has totaled six pressures and two sacks on 16 pass-rush snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Elliss’ pressures have also forced two interceptions, so it’s no surprise that he is PFF’s top-graded rookie pass rusher.

“I like his energy,” Payton said of Elliss after last week’s win over the Green Bay Packers. “I think they called the one roughing [penalty] on him. I kind of saw that and that was a tough call. He has a counter move. Heā€™s someone that itā€™s not just one rush plan.

“He plays with passion and again Iā€™m encouraged with the rookie class. A number of these guys have a chance to contribute, and weā€™ll just keep working with him. Itā€™s good to see his progress, he got a lot of snaps tonight.ā€

Elliss totaled two pressures and one strip-sack against Green Bay.

ā€œThe game’s definitely starting to slow down a little bit,” Elliss said of making the jump from college to the pros. “The way we practice is very intense. When you go out and practice, it honestly slows down in the game. Huge shout out to the coaching staff for putting that tension on in practice. When we get to the game, it’s actually slower.ā€

Elliss is currently the team’s fourth pass rusher behind Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto. There are plenty of rotational pass-rush snaps to go around, though, so Elliss will get opportunities to make an impact as a rookie.

Elliss has one more preseason game on deck against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, a game that will be nationally televised on CBS. After that, Elliss and his teammates will turn their attention toward a Week 1 showdown with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Sept. 8.

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Bo Nix and Jonah Elliss were PFFā€™s best rookies at their positions this week

PFF credits Broncos rookie Jonah Elliss with 6 pressures and 2 sacks on 17 pass rush snaps. He has also forced 2 interceptions in preseason.

So far, so good for the top two members of the Denver Broncos’ 2024 NFL draft class.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (a first-round pick in April) went 8-of-9 passing for 80 yards and a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday while adding three carries for 12 yards on the ground. That earned him an 85.8 grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest grade for a rookie quarterback in Week 2 of NFL preseason.

Denver pass rusher Jonah Elliss (a third-round pick) also stood out with a strip-sack and two pressures, including one that forced an interception. That performance earned Elliss an 85.9 grade from PFF, the best grade among rookie pass rushers in Week 2.

Through two weeks of preseason, Elliss has totaled six pressures, two sacks and two forced interceptions on 17 pass rush snaps, according to PFF.

Nix, meanwhile, is 23-of-30 passing for 205 yards with two touchdowns, no turnovers and no sacks. He has also rushed six times for 29 yards.

Nix and Elliss are off to great starts in Denver. We’ll see if that carries over into the regular season in September.

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PFF releases grades from Broncos’ second preseason game

Tim Patrick (89.0 on offense) and Andre Smith (95.4 on defense) were the Broncos’ highest-graded players in Week 2 of NFL preseason.

The Denver Broncos dominated the Green Bay Packers 27-2 in their second preseason game of the summer on Sunday night.Ā Pro Football Focus released their player grades from that victory on Monday.

On offense, quarterback Bo Nix had the best overall grade among quarterbacks (85.8) and the best passing grade (89.8). Aiding by a rushing touchdown, Jarrett Stidham had a better running grade (63.3) than Nix (59.4) but a worse passing grade (59.3). Zach Wilson wasn’t able to make much of an impact with cleanup duties (45.7 overall).

Nix was PFF’s highest-graded rookie quarterback of the week.

At running back, Tyler Badie had a short sample size (one carry and one catch), but his touchdown helped him secure the best grade (77.6) among Denver’s RBs. Up next was Javonte Williams (66.4). Audric Estime (79.9) was given the best pass-blocking grade, which is not surprising:

Tim Patrick (89.0) was the team’s best wide receiver on the night and the best offensive player overall.

On defense, linebackers Andre Smith (95.4) and Justin Strnad (91.5) posted the best overall grades, followed by safety Keidron Smith (91.1). Not far behind were pass rushers Nik Bonitto (89.6) and Jonah Elliss (85.9).

Elliss posted another sack and a hurry that led to another interception, just as he did in Denver’s preseason opener last week. He was PFF’s highest-graded rookie edge defender in Week 2.

The team’s lowest-graded defender was pass rusher Thomas Incoom (35.4).

On special teams, punter Riley Dixon was given a slight edge (60.0) over Trenton Gill (59.3). One of Gill’s three punts was shanked, but he made up for it later in the game with a 62-yard boot. The punter competition might go down to the wire.

You can view more grades on the paid version ofĀ PFFā€™s website.

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