Tag: Nik Bonitto

Broncos injuries: 6 players sidelined at training camp

Broncos DB Brandon Jones (hamstring) could be out another week-plus. Pass rusher Nik Bonitto (back) could return as early as today.

The Denver Broncos have some lingering bumps and bruises as they wrap up their first week of training camp.

First, some good news: Broncos safety Caden Sterns (knee) was activated from the physically unable to perform list on Saturday and the team has been easing him back into action.

“So, he’s passed his physical in order to get back on the field,” coach Sean Payton said of Sterns. “Now we have to be really smart. It’ll be a process.”

Meanwhile, fellow safety Brandon Jones has “tweaked” his hamstring. Payton indicated the team won’t rush Jones in his recovery.

“He’s probably going to be week or two weeks with a hamstring,” Payton said. “We’re just going to be smart with his recovery. He’s someone that he’ll attack the rehab really quick, but I think two weeks will be realistic.”

Elsewhere on the injury front, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto was sidelined Tuesday with what Payton described as “some back issues.” The coach expects Bonitto to return soon, perhaps as early as Wednesday.

Denver guard Nick Gargiulo (undisclosed) also remains sidelined.

Rounding out the injury report are running back Blake Watson (on the NFI list with a leg muscle injury), linebacker Drew Sanders (phsycially unable to perform list with an Achilles injury) and safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (PUP list with a knee injury).

Denver defensive end John Franklin-Myers was also absent from Tuesday’s practice after being excused to attend a family funeral.

Denver Broncos injuries

RB Blake Watson: leg muscle (NFI list)

LB Drew Sanders: Achilles (PUP list)

DB Delarrin Turner-Yell: knee (PUP list)

DE John Franklin-Myers: Excused from practice

OLB Nik Bonitto: back injury (did not practice)

DB Brandon Jones: hamstring injury (did not practice)

G Nick Gargiulo: undisclosed (did not practice)

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Broncos expect Nik Bonitto to ‘make some hay’ in 2024

“Nik [Bonitto] is a special rusher,” Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. “He had a great year last year.”

Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is pleased with the outlook of the team’s pass rush rotation ahead of the 2024 season.

Last fall, Jonathon Cooper led the team with 8.5 sacks, followed by eight sacks from Nik Bonitto. Baron Browning missed seven games due to injury and finished the year with 4.5 sacks.

When asked about his expectations for Bonitto in June, Joseph praised the entire outside linebacker room while calling Bonitto a “special player.”

“I think as a group, it’s a good group between ‘Coop,’ and Nik and Baron,” Joseph said. “It’s a good group. They all can rush the passer; they all are good run game players. Nik is a special rusher. He had a great year last year. Even with missed time, he had a pretty good year.

“So obviously, he’s a natural rusher and it’s my job to find spots for him to kind of showcase that. It’s a good room, it’s an experienced room. It’s a room that should make some hay this year for us.”

The Broncos added to the room this spring when they used a third-round pick to select Utah pass rusher Jonah Elliss. Bonitto, Browning, Cooper and Elliss will be tasked with “making hay” in Joseph’s defense this fall.

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Broncos roster series: No. 42, OLB Nik Bonitto

Broncos third-year pass rusher Nik Bonitto will look to improve on his eight-sack total from 2023 this fall.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at third-year outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, No. 42.

Before the Broncos: Bonitto (6-3, 240 pounds) played college football at Oklahoma, recording 32 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 18.5 sacks in his final three years (25 games) with the Sooners. Bonitto earned second-team All-Big honors twice and he was a second-team All-American in 2020 and a third-team All-American in 2021. He totaled eight sacks as a junior and seven sacks as a senior before entering the NFL.

Broncos tenure: Denver picked Bonitto in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft. He was a rotational pass rusher as a rookie, recording 14 tackles, three quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks in 15 games (one start). Bonitto impressed in his second season with 30 tackles, 20 QB hits and eight sacks in 15 games (four starts).

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Lock. Bonitto still has two years left on his rookie contract and he showed huge signs of progress in his second season. If he continues on his current trajectory, Bonitto figures to take another step forward in 2024.

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College Football 25 to make Sooners in the NFL available in Ultimate Team

Sooners in the NFL will be available in College Football 25 Ultimate Team according to USA TODAY Sports.

Have you wanted to play as [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] or [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] in the Crimson and Cream? Did you want to rush off the edge with [autotag]Nik Bonitto[/autotag] or [autotag]Ogbo Okoronkwo[/autotag]? Perhaps you want to dominate in the passing game with [autotag]CeeDee Lamb[/autotag] or [autotag]Mark Andrews[/autotag]? Or carry the rock with [autotag]Rhamondre Stevenson[/autotag] or [autotag]Joe Mixon[/autotag]? Well, you’re about to get your chance.

According to USA TODAY Sports, current NFL players will be available in [autotag]College Football 25[/autotag] Ultimate Team when the game releases later this month.

EA Sports has worked with the NFL Players Association to bring current NFL stars back to their college days in the College Football Ultimate Team, USA TODAY Sports confirms ahead of the ultimate team mode reveal on Tuesday. – Jordan Mendoze, USA TODAY Sports

Ultimate Team is another gameplay option where you can purchase card packs and players to create all-star teams to play online against other users. So if you’re controlling the Oklahoma Sooners and feeling a bit dangerous, you’ll have the chance to put former Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield on your squad.

And with Mayfield on the roster, it’ll be time to right a few “squib kick” wrongs from that 2017 College Football Playoff run.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Broncos need Nik Bonitto to take another leap in 2024

As a former second-round pick, Nik Bonitto needs to produce double-digit sacks for the Broncos in Year 3.

After being picked by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Oklahoma, pass rusher Nik Bonitto had an underwhelming rookie season with three quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks in 15 games.

Bonitto took a big step forward in his second season, totaling 20 quarterback hits and eight sacks in 15 games last fall. Earlier this month, coach Sean Payton was asked about Bonitto making a big leap in Year 2.

“I think to his defense, he had more opportunities relative to the depth in his second year,” Payton said on June 11. “I think that will continue to trend that way. It’s that growth we always talk about from Year 1 to Year 2, but I think he had more playing time snaps, too.”

Bonitto got 357 snaps as a rookie followed by 524 snaps last fall. He played 35% of the defensive snaps in 2022 before increasing to 52% in 2023.

Bonitto made the most of those extra reps and proved to be a productive pass rusher. The 24-year-old outside linebacker is now poised for an even larger role in 2024 and the Broncos need him to take another step forward. Denver used a second-round pick on Bonitto undoubtedly hoping for double-digit sacks from the pass rusher. We’ll see if he can hit that total in Year 3.

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What LB Drew Sanders’ injury means for rookie Jonah Elliss

Denver Broncos linebacker Jonah Elliss will be called upon to fill the gap left by Drew Sanders.

The Denver Broncos were dealt a blow to the linebacker position when it was reported that second-year linebacker Drew Sanders tore his Achilles tendon during a mid-April workout with the team, which will cause him to miss most, if not all of the 2024 season.

Luckily for Sanders, Achilles tendon recoveries have become quicker and quicker, as evidenced by New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who tore his Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 season, and nearly came back to play for the Jets late in the year. Also in Sanders’ favor is his youth and a much-improved Broncos training staff, who will help him recover in time to hopefully make an impact later in the year.

With Sanders’ injury, it opens the door for rookie pass-rusher Jonah Elliss to fill the gap. Elliss will be able to improve his skills during the Broncos’ end-of-May workouts and through training camp behind already-established linebackers Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and Baron Browning. He already has a great example to follow in Bonitto.

During the 2023 season, Denver traded linebacker Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers, opening the door for Bonitto to start. In 2022, Bonitto had a rocky rookie season, only posting 1.5 sacks, and 14 total tackles. After the midseason Gregory trade, Bonitto showed tremendous growth, finishing 2023 with eight sacks, 30 total tackles (23 solo, seven assisted), 13 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits and one forced fumble.

Elliss now has the chance to step up in a big way, while the talented Sanders rehabs his way back into the lineup.

Available free agent pass rushers for the Broncos in 2024

The Broncos need more from their pass rush in 2024. Here are some edge defenders they could target during free agency.

The Denver Broncos need to get more from their pass rush in 2024. Jonathon Cooper led the team with 8.5 sacks last season, followed by Nik Bonitto (8.0 sacks). Those are fine numbers for rotational players, but Denver needs an elite edge defender.

Baron Browning has the potential to emerge as a top pass rusher in 2024, but injuries have prevented him from having a breakout season thus far. The Broncos will likely look to add reinforcements to the outside linebacker room this spring, so we’ve put together a quick list of 16 pass rushers the team could consider during NFL free agency next week.

Which Sooners could have been on the cover of EA Sports NCAA football during its absence?

With EA Sports NCAA Football returning, which Oklahoma Sooners could have graced the cover during their hiatus since 2015.

EA Sports did what many thought was impossible by announcing it would bring back its college football video game series. After a hiatus that will have spanned at least 10 years come July, the newest version of the beloved game series will return sometime in the summer of 2024.

The last one to drop before the series ended came out in July 2013. NCAA 14 is one of the most iconic sports video games of all time because of the attachment many have to it. Its resale value has never been higher.

The reason for the original cancellation of the series? Name, image and likeness — a hot-button topic that eventually led to NIL being accepted into collegiate sports.

EA Sports couldn’t figure out how to compensate players because it wasn’t legal in that era of collegiate athletics. That hurdle has been cleared and the game looks headed for a summer release date.

Who gets the distinction of being the game’s cover athlete in its resurrection? It’s always a fun and exciting debate when new sports games come out. Former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson graced NCAA 14’s cover. Since the last game, college football has had iconic athletes that would’ve been perfect fits to be cover athletes.

Our friends at College Wire went through and named which players they thought would have been great fits as cover athletes for the years we didn’t have a game. We decided to do the same, but only with Oklahoma players for those years. Take a look below.

Broncos’ sack leaders from 2023 season

Jonathon Cooper (8.5) led the Broncos in sacks in 2023, followed by Nik Bonitto (8.0) and Zach Allen (5.0).

The days of Von Miller recording double-digit sacks seem like a distant memory for Denver Broncos fans.

The Broncos are going to need more from their pass rush in 2024 after an underwhelming campaign from Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto last fall.

In terms of sacks, Denver’s third-best pass rusher this season was Zach Allen, an interior defensive lineman who recorded five sacks in 2023. That’s a good total for a defensive tackle, but the fact that the Broncos did not have a third edge defender with five or more sacks is alarming.

Consequently, bringing in a top pass rusher should be a priority for Denver this offseason. Before free agency and the draft arrive, here’s a quick look back at the Broncos’ leaders in sacks from the 2023 season.

Broncos need more from their pass rush in 2024

The Broncos did not have any players with double-digit sacks in 2024 and the defense ranked 22nd out of 32 teams with 42 total sacks.

The Denver Broncos totaled 42 sacks in 2023, tied for the 11th-lowest total in the NFL, and the worst total in the AFC West. Elsewhere in the division, the Las Vegas Raiders (46 sacks), Los Angeles Chargers (48 sacks) and Kansas City Chiefs (57 sacks) got more production from their pass rushers.

The Broncos will need more from their edge defenders in 2024. Part of the problem in 2023 was leaning on Randy Gregory and Frank Clark early in the year. Both players were off the team by mid-season.

Another hindrance was Baron Browning’s meniscus tear that sidelined him for the first six games of the campaign. After he returned from that injury, Browning had modest production, totaling 4.5 sacks in 10 games.

Jonathon Cooper (8.5 sacks) and Nik Bonitto (8.0 sacks) were the team’s most productive pass rushers in 2023, but both of them might be better suited for a rotational rusher role instead of a regular starting gig.

If Browning is able to reach his potential in 2024, Denver could pair him with a high-profile pass rusher. Cooper and Bonitto would be excellent rotation options in such a scenario. If Browning never turns into the kind of pass rusher the Broncos hope he can be, Denver will eventually need two starting-caliber edge defenders.

The Broncos are set to select 12th overall in the 2024 NFL draft and that might be an ideal place to land a top pass rusher. Recent mock drafts have Denver landing Laiatu Latu, Jared Verse and Chop Robinson at that spot. Whether it’s one of those options or another prospect, the Broncos would be wise to bring in a high-profile pass rusher in 2024.

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