Tag: pass rusher

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. 

“They’re getting the ‘Mayor of Sack Lake City,’” Vele said of Elliss. “He’s a heck of a player. I was super excited for him, and it’s awesome to be reunited with him and bringing that Utah culture to Broncos [Country].”

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

“You 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 he’s just going to continue to develop and continue to get better.

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

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

“I feel like my effort is elite when it comes to the game, but I think that is just how I was raised,” Elliss said. “I think I’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.”

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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Broncos OLB Baron Browning hoping for first healthy season of his career

Baron Browning’s goal for 2024: Play a complete 17-game season for the first time in his career.

Since being picked by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Ohio State, outside linebacker Baron Browning has missed 13 games due to injuries, and he has never played a full 17-game season.

The talent is there for Browning to emerge as a top pass rusher, but he needs to stay on the field, and he knows it.

“For me, [my goal is] just to play 17 games this year,” Browning said in July. “That’s my main focus. Just to be available for my teammates and just do whatever I can do to help us win games.

“And just as an edge, to just be disruptive. I think the outside linebackers play a very pivotal role in this defense. We’re just trying to be the leaders of the defense and make plays. Every day we break it down on playmakers, so that’s our mindset and we’re believing in it.”

Browning totaled 4.5 sacks in 10 appearances last fall.

“It’s an important position in this defense,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the team’s outside linebacker spot. “It’s the defensive ends in the 4-3. So you’re looking for guys that are physical enough to set an edge in the run game and yet give you pash rush and convert when it’s a passing situation. Obviously, it’s a real important position for what we do defensively.”

Two years ago, Browning totaled five sacks 14 games. He has 21 quarterback hits over the last two years and 12 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. If he can stay healthy this fall, perhaps Browning can approach the first double-digit sack total of his career ahead of free agency in 2025.

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Pass rusher reverts to Broncos’ IR list after clearing waivers

After clearing waivers, OLB Durell Nchami has reverted to the Broncos’ season-ending injured reserve list.

Denver Broncos pass rusher Durell Nchami reverted to the team’s injured reserve list after clearing waivers on Wednesday morning.

Nchami (6-4, 258 pounds) was waived with an injury designation when the Broncos set their 53-man roster on Tuesday. He goes on the season-ending IR list, so unless Denver reaches an injury settlement and cuts him, Nchami won’t be eligible to play in 2024.

Nchami, 24, joined the team’s practice squad last December and re-signed with the team following the 2023 season. He joins fellow pass rusher Ronnie Perkins and offensive lineman Quinn Bailey on the team’s season-ending IR list. Cornerback Damarri Mathis was designated to return from IR and he will be eligible to re-join the active roster in Week 5.

The Broncos are carrying four outside linebackers on the 53-man roster: Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss and Nik Bonitto.

If they clear waivers, Dondrea Tillman and Thomas Incoom will likely be candidates to return on the practice squad to add more depth at OLB.

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

After parting with Dondrea Tillman, Thomas Incoom and 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 moving 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’s roster moves on Broncos Wire.

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Seahawks won’t have their top pass rusher vs. Broncos in Week 1

The Seahawks will be without top pass rusher Uchenna Nwosu (MCL) when they host the Broncos in Week 1.

The Seattle Seahawks will be missing their top pass rusher when they host the Denver Broncos in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season on Sept. 8.

Seahawks pass rusher Uchenna Nwosu suffered a sprained MCL in Seattle’s preseason finale and he is now expected to miss 2-6 weeks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Seahawks Wire).

Before signing with the Seahawks in 2022, Nwosu spent the first four years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers. In eight career games against the Broncos, Nwosu has totaled 25 tackles, six quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, two pass breakups and two sacks.

Nwosu has recorded 26.5 sacks in 85 career games (48 starts).

Seattle’s candidates to replace Nwosu were both drafted with picks acquired from Denver in the Russell Wilson trade. The Seahawks used a second-round pick to select Derick Hall in 2023 and a second-round selection to pick Boye Mafe in 2022. Mayfe has totaled 12 sacks over the last two seasons. Hall did not record any sacks as a rookie last fall.

Seattle is listed as a five-point favorite against the Broncos in Week 1.

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Jaylon Allen is a candidate to return on Broncos’ practice squad

After being waived with an injury designation earlier this month, Jaylon Allen could return to join the Broncos’ practice squad.

Four months ago, the Denver Broncos won a bidding war with three other teams to sign Memphis edge defender Jaylon Allen as an undrafted free agent. To close the deal, the Broncos gave Allen $110,000 guaranteed and a $10,000 signing bonus.

After playing in the team’s preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts, Allen was waived with an injury settlement on Aug. 15. That doesn’t necessarily mean his time in Denver has come to an end.

Allen needed about two weeks to recover from an ankle injury, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. After the Broncos set their 53-man roster and Allen recovers from that injury, he will be “a strong candidate” to return on the practice squad, according to Klis.

Denver will set an initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, then the team will begin building a 17-player practice squad on Wednesday. We will track all of the team’s moves on Broncos Wire, including a potential Allen return.

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Yes, the Broncos have a player who went to ‘Indiana University of Pennsylvania’

Yes, there’s an Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and they’ve sent players to the NFL. Dondrea Tillman is the latest.

During the Denver Broncos‘ preseason game against the Green Bay Packers last week, the 9News broadcast (that was simulcast on NFL Network) showed a graphic below pass rusher Dondrea Tillman that listed his college as “Indiana University of Pennsylvania.”

It left football fans befuddled.

That’s not a real school, is it?

Yes, it is.

There’s a borough named “Indiana” in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, the location of the college. The school goes by “IUP,” and they’ve sent 16 other players to the NFL.

As for Tillman, he’s had quite a football journey.

The 26-year-old pass rusher spent four years at IUP, earning three All-PSAC West selections. After college, he was out of football for two years before getting an opportunity to play in “The Spring League” in 2021.

After playing one season with the TSL Conquerors, Tillman was drafted by the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions in 2022. He won three straight titles with the Stallions before signing with the Broncos this summer.

Tillman is a long shot to make Denver’s 53-man roster, but he should be a strong candidate for the practice squad.

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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. He’s someone that it’s not just one rush plan.

“He plays with passion and again I’m encouraged with the rookie class. A number of these guys have a chance to contribute, and we’ll just keep working with him. It’s good to see his progress, he got a lot of snaps tonight.”

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

“The 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.”

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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Ex-Broncos pass rusher cut by Bucs after not reporting to team

The Bucs are moving on from ex-Broncos pass rusher Randy Gregory after he failed to report for training camp and preseason.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are moving on from a former Denver Broncos pass rusher.

The Bucs will release Randy Gregory this week, according to the team’s preseason broadcast team (via WFLA-TV in Tampa). Gregory, 31, signed a one-year, $3 million deal this spring, but he did not report for training camp this month. Tampa Bay still doesn’t know why he didn’t report.

“I’ll never find out, but I wish him the best and we’ll move on from there,” coach Todd Bowles said Sunday. “Can’t miss what you never had.”

Gregory signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the Broncos in 2022. He totaled three sacks in 10 healthy games with Denver before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers midway through the 2023 campaign. After finishing last season in San Francisco, Gregory signed with the Bucs this spring.

Gregory filed a lawsuit against the NFL this summer, claiming he received discriminatory fines from the league during his time with the Broncos. Gregory will now become a free agent seeking his fourth team in two years.

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Broncos OLB Jonah Elliss looks to build on strong preseason debut

After four pressures and a sack in his NFL debut, Broncos rookie pass rusher Jonah Elliss will aim for another strong performance on Sunday.

Denver Broncos rookie pass rusher Jonah Elliss impressed in the team’s preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts last week. The third-round pick totaled four pressures and one sack on nine pass rush snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

“There’s some good tape with him,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.

Elliss finished the game with two tackles on 22 snaps. He also played 14 snaps on special teams.

“It was unbelievable,” the outside linebacker said of his debut. “That’s like the moment kids dream of, playing your first game in the NFL. It’s truly like amazing being out there. [It was] fun playing with the guys, and having fun, and stop thinking about practice and just playing and having fun.”

While Sunday’s game was a very positive start, there is room for improvement.

“His taking on the run, his run fits and then developing his rush plan,” Payton said. “He was speed and then he had a counter in college, you saw it. Speed, speed with a spin and then it’s adding power to that. It’s developing his rush plan and certainly taking on the run, whether it’s point of attack or backside.”

Elliss could feel a difference from the college game, but he wasn’t out of place in an NFL setting.

“The skill level is like everyone is the best,” he said. “It’s like high school, everyone in high school is the best. Goes to college, now it’s the best college players all in the NFL. It’s like you’re playing the best college team in the NFL, but it’s even better because now everything’s just one notch higher. So you could definitely tell there’s a difference out there, but it was football.”

Just football.

Elliss will get another opportunity to impress when the Broncos host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night. That game will be nationally televised on NFL Network and available to stream on fuboTV (try it free).

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