The Denver Broncos’ defense is on pace for an NFL record 78 sacks this season. In fact, there are four defensive linemen with at least four and a half sacks. But one defender is leading the pack for Denver. This mystery defender is third in the league in sacks. In addition, he is No. 12 in PFSN’s EDGE Impact Score, while the Broncos are No. 1 in PFSN’s Defense Impact Score. Without further ado.
Nik Bonitto’s Pressure Percentage
Enter Nik Bonitto. NFL.com’s Anthony Holzman-Escareno published a piece on Thursday highlighting Next Gen Stats data. In it, he came across Bonitto’s historic pressure percentage.
“Speaking of the Broncos pass rush, Nik Bonitto is building a case to make the Broncos the third team in NFL history to have different players win Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (Patrick Surtain II won in 2024). The leader of the Denver’s dominant pass rush, Bonitto leads the NFL with a 23.0 quarterback pressure percentage this season,” NFL.com’s Anthony Holzman-Escareno wrote.
Holzman-Escareno pointed out that only Micah Parsons in 2021 has had a higher pressure rate than Bonitto in a season (25.0). And Holzman-Escareno hits the nail on its head, Bonitto is on pace to win Defensive Player of the Year. Holzman-Escareno continued.
“The Broncos defense is on pace to set an NFL record with 78 sacks this season. Disrupting the quarterback has been Denver’s modus operandi. The unit has the highest quarterback pressure percentage (42.9 pct) by any team in the Next Gen Stats era. Nik Bonitto leads all players with 51 pressures. Zach Allen is tied for the most pressures among defensive tackles.”
Not only is Bonitto pacing edge rushers, but Allen is pacing interior defensive tackles. The latter is No. 7 in PFSN’s DT Impact Score. Add in Jonathon Cooper opposite Bonitto and John Franklin-Myers next to Allen, and you have one of the best defensive lines in professional football. That’s not even accounting for D.J. Jones, who is fifth fifth-best defensive lineman.
Elsewhere, the Broncos play the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11. A Broncos win in Week 11 puts the Chiefs’ odds to win the division at just 3%. And the Chiefs’ playoff odds would sit at 46.4% as well.