Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto
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A color analyst had a lava-hot take about Nik Bonitto's ranking during a Broncos preseason game.
Down a good chunk of their starters by choice, the Denver Broncos still managed to take down the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night. The preseason outing went in favor of Sean Payton’s crew, bringing them to 2-0 in as many weeks.
The story of the night, however, may stem from something a color commentator said during the game. In the third quarter, the duo of 9News analysts Steve Levy and Ryan Harris discussed Broncos Pro Bowl pass rusher Nik Bonitto.
Specifically, the duo broke down Bonitto being just a couple of spots below Dallas Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons in this year’s NFL “Top 100 Players” list. Harris’ take will shock you.
Color Analyst Says Nik Bonitto Is Better Than Micah Parsons
Harris, a former Super Bowl champion with the Broncos, had the ultimate praise for Bonitto. Citing his run-defending chops and approach to the game, he declared Bonitto is a better player than Parsons. This isn’t the first time both players’ names have been lumped in high-traffic conversations.
“Well, Nik Bonitto’s a better player all around,” Harris said. “Micah Parsons, make no mistake about it, he is a prolific pass rusher. No one’s taking that from him. He does not want to play the run. Nik Bonitto, on the other hand, he plays the run, he can rush the passer — got three straight pressures last week, one of them ending in a sack. And oh, by the way, he had a pick-six last season. I didn’t see Micah Parsons do that. That’s, again, where it looks good. Micah Parsons, a big name, bring him in. He’s also been a headache for that organization. You’ve got a guy who’s quietly doing his work, getting better after being drafted by the Broncos. Nik Bonitto’s done everything right.”
Regardless of how good Bonitto is, that’s a lava-hot take. In fairness to Bonitto, he deserves a ton of credit for his ascension in Denver. After recording 8 sacks in 2023, he broke out with 13.5 last season en route to a Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honor. He also placed ninth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
In Dallas, Parsons has been a mainstay since getting picked 12th overall in 2021. He has 52.5 sacks in four seasons, including 12 last year. Bonitto had him beat there, in addition to recording more passes broken up (4) and logging more tackles for loss (16). With that said, he played four more games.
Advanced metrics don’t paint the same picture. According to Pro Football Focus, Parsons was the No. 6-graded edge player on the year. Bonitto was 24th. Parsons ranked 72nd in run defense grade; Bonitto 104th. In ESPN’s pass rush win rate among edge rushers, Parsons ranked third; Bonitto 15th.
Bonitto is awesome, but Parsons is widely regarded as the better player.
Bonitto Recovering From Foot Injury as Broncos’ Preseason Continues
Now that the… interesting news is out of the way, it’s important to recognize Bonitto’s importance to the Broncos. If they want to make another run to the playoffs, they’ll need him. It’s hard to find many players capable of matching his blend of youth, progression and pass-rushing juice. Unfortunately, Denver was briefly without it at practice last week.
According to Payton, his Pro Bowl man had a procedure done to remove a “little bone spur on the top of his foot.” It’s something that’s been nagging Bonitto for a while, and he likely wouldn’t have played against the Cardinals anyway. Payton sat his best players.
With the goal being to get the ones some run this Saturday versus the New Orleans Saints, Payton anticipates Bonitto will soon return to practice. If he’s available for the weekend, getting some reps in preparation for Week 1 of the regular season would be beneficial. It’d be a good test for the foot as well.
It’s no secret that the Broncos’ defense is one of the best in football. Most, including former head coach Mike Shanahan, believe it must be the key to get the franchise where it wants to go. Players like Bonitto help lead the way on that front. With that in mind, he’s due for a contract extension in the near future.
Could that be in the cards? Returning to the field will be a good first step.