The Lead

With six games still left to play, Nik Bonitto has already put together a career-best season.

The third-year outside linebacker has recorded nine sacks this season — which is currently tied for the second most across the league — and surpassed his previous career high of eight on Sunday. Bonitto recorded his first multi-sack game of the season against the Falcons in Week 11 as he took down quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. With one more sack this season, Bonitto would become the first Bronco to reach double digits since Von Miller and Bradley Chubb in 2018.

"It's obviously a really good accomplishment," Bonitto said Monday of his nine sacks this season. "Hats off to the coaches for putting the game plans in [and]the guys that I'm rushing with every week, as well, that are helping me. [I've] just got to keep going; it's a good start right now."

Bonitto has seen his role on Denver's defensive unit significantly increase this season, after he started just 5 games for the Broncos from 2022-23. The Oklahoma product has played 58 percent of Denver's defensive snaps — and has started 9 games — after stepping into a starting role following Week 2.

"I would, number one, guess that his snap count is higher," Head Coach Sean Payton said Sunday of Bonitto's progression this season. "So, I'd say more opportunity. He's stronger, and so with those additional opportunities, I think he's done a great job of taking advantage of it, to his credit. He's a handful. Especially, he's one of those guys that bends well. It's really helped us not only on third down, but on the earlier downs."

While Bonitto echoes this sentiment, noting that having more opportunities has certainly helped him improve his game, he also credits the talent and effort of his teammates with allowing him to make a significant jump this season.

"I would say just studying more, just playing more ball [and] just getting more reps under my belt," Bonitto said. "... The coaches are doing a good job of putting not just me, but everyone in position. When you're rushing with guys like [defensive end] Zach [Allen], 'JFM' [defensive end John Franklin-Myers] and 'Coop' [outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper], it's kind of easy on my end to just go out there and just play. Everybody's just doing a good job right now."

And while he has already posted the best statistical season of his career, Bonitto said this is only the beginning for a team that still has plenty of room to grow — and goals to accomplish — this year.

"As a team, we feel like we left a lot of meat on the bone, as far as some of the games this year," Bonitto said. "So, we know where we're at right now, we know where we're trying to get to. Obviously, this is a good start for us, where we're at right now. But we've got a lot more games left to play."