The Denver Broncos are going to try third-year linebacker Jonah Elliss on the inside in 2026, according to head coach Sean Payton. That has led to plenty of intrigue within the fanbase.
The Broncos re-signed Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad this offseason, but released Dre Greenlaw, leaving plenty of questions at the position. Singleton is 32 years old and Strnad has never been a full-time starter. More reinforcements are needed, and that is where Elliss comes in.
It's an interesting thought, as Elliss has been an edge rusher for the first two years of his career and he is a capable option behind starters Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper.
Kyle Whittingham recently accepted the job to become the new head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Utah for 21 seasons, the school Elliss came from. Whittingham recently spoke to Luca Evans of The Denver Post and has plenty of belief in the potential position switch for Elliss.
"He’s certainly got the physicality to destroy blocks — block destruction is something he’s really good at. He’s also got very good just, flat-out speed... I think he’s got what it takes to be a very good all-around (inside) linebacker", said Whittingham.
Jonah Elliss moving to inside linebacker is starting to make sense
Whittingham not only coached Elliss, but he also knows a little about playing the linebacker position, as that was the position he played. In fact, he spent a short period of time with the Broncos, having signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 1982.
In addition, Elliss can draw some advice from the two brothers he has playing in the league — Kaden and Christian — who both play inside linebacker as well.
What started as a potential experiment for the Broncos is quickly gaining steam and could become an official move before the 2026 season starts. The question then would be, would Elliss take a starting job from either Singleton or Strnad?
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