One of the biggest priorities in the offseason for General Manager George Paton was to pay his star edge rusher, Nik Bonitto. The Broncos’ young star got what he wanted, signing a four-year deal that can be worth up to $120 million. This contract has already aged exceptionally well and could be the best value contract in the NFL.
The Broncos Committed Highway Robbery
When the Detroit Lions extended Aidan Hutchinson, Nik Bonitto’s contract looked even better. The Lions are paying Hutchinson $45 million per season and $141 million in guaranteed money. Bonitto is having a better season than Hutchinson, yet making $18 million less. Had the Broncos waited longer to pay Bonitto, the price would’ve skyrocketed.
Bonitto has been playing on another level this season, topping many of the edge rushers and earning more money than him. The only two players with seasons that top Bonitto’s are Myles Garrett and Brian Burns.
To put it in perspective, that’s two out of eight players who are making more money annually than Bonitto is. He has been an integral part of their defense and is currently the frontrunner to win Defensive Player of the Year.
Bonitto Is Having An Insane Year
Nik Bonitto is dominating every opponent he faces and has elevated his game after a fantastic 2024 season. He’s already up to eight sacks this season, which ranks fourth in the league. While many are quick to judge an edge rusher on the number of sacks they have, Bonitto has done a lot more for the Broncos.
According to Next Gen Stats, Nik Bonitto is second in the NFL in pressures with 40. The only player with more is Micah Parsons, who has 44 on the season. Bonitto has done an incredible job of forcing his way into the pocket and disrupting opposing quarterbacks. The Broncos’ star pass rusher has a 20.2% pressure rate, trailing just Will Anderson (23.0%) per The 33rd Team.
He and Jonathon Cooper have been one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league. Bonitto and Cooper are just one of two duos to have more than six sacks this season. The only other duo is Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary. Both Denver and Green Bay’s duos have combined for 14 sacks, and it’ll be fun to watch who finishes with more at the end of the season.
Final Thoughts
It doesn’t get talked about enough how good a job George Paton did by getting ahead of the curve and paying his players early. Cooper and Bonitto aren’t set to become free agents until 2029 and 2030. Both players will continue to grow and set new records for the franchise, while the front office sits back and watches their masterful plan unfold.
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