Broncos Lock Up All-Pro Edge Nik Bonitto With 4-Year, $106 Million Deal

‘I never had any doubts that it would get done,’ he said.

Nik Bonitto #15 of the Denver Broncos celebrates after recording a sack in the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field At Mile High in Denver, on Jan. 5, 2025. Justin Edmonds /Getty Images

The Denver Broncos signed edge rusher Nik Bonitto to a massive extension.

A second-round draft pick of the Broncos in 2022, Bonitto had a breakout campaign last year with 13.5 sacks and two long defensive touchdowns. The team rewarded his performance with a four-year, $106 million contract with a potential for $120 million in total value. The Broncos officially announced the deal on their website on Thursday.

“I never had any doubts that it would get done,” Bonitto said at a press conference after practice Thursday, adding that his agent told him the deal would probably get done in the lead-up to the season opener.

Bonitto thanked his agent, general manager George Paton, head coach Sean Payton, and team owners Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner. He also expressed his gratitude to former teammates Justin Simmons, Randy Gregory, and Bradley Chubb for helping him in his early career.

“Those three guys, man, they were such big parts of keeping me going my rookie year, when I was doubting myself that I could play. ... Those guys meant the world to me, and even though they’re not here, I still appreciate everything they did.”

He also became emotional, thanking defensive coordinator Vance Joseph for giving him the opportunity to step up.

“When he first came here, I was coming off my rookie year ... and he tells me to come up to his office to talk to him and ... he’s just like, ‘You know Nick, you can be [a] double-digit sack guy in this league.’ I’m like, ‘Are you sure you brought the right guy in here? Like, I just had a one sack season.’ But he had ultimate confidence in me, and it’s paid off. I just had to wait my turn and just keep working, and I finally got to see his vision.”

Bonitto’s agency, Athletes First, posted the full details of the contract. The deal includes $70 million in guaranteed money and an average annual value of $26.5 million per year, with a maximum AAV of $30 million per year. It makes him the highest-paid defensive player in Broncos team history. However, according to Spotrac, Bonitto’s contract is just the sixth-largest among edge rushers in terms of total value, and eighth in AAV.

Bonitto was drafted out of Oklahoma with the 64th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft; the team acquired that pick from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for edge rusher Von Miller. He appeared in 15 games as a rotational edge rusher, with one start; he recorded 14 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble.

Bonitto returned to a rotational role in 2023, playing in 15 games with 4 starts. He notched 8 sacks, 30 tackles, 13 TFLs, a forced fumble, and 2 passes defended. Notably, his impressive play prompted the Broncos to trade away Gregory.

He had a breakout season in 2024, playing all 17 games with 15 starts. He had career highs in every statistical category: 48 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and a recovery, 3 passes defended, and an interception. Two of those turnovers went for long scores in consecutive games: against the Cleveland Browns in week 13, Bonitto dropped back in coverage and intercepted a pass from Browns quarterback Jameis Winston, and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown; against the Indianapolis Colts after their bye in week 15, Bonitto intercepted a trick play pass from wide receiver Adonai Mitchell intended for quarterback Anthony Richardson, and returned it 50 yards for a score. That interception was credited as a fumble.

The performance earned Bonitto his first Pro Bowl selection and a Second Team All-Pro nod. His 13.5 sacks were the most by a Broncos rusher since Miller posted 14.5 in 2018. His opposite number, Jonathon Cooper, notched 10.5 sacks of his own, making them the first edge rush duo to notch double-digit sacks since Miller and Chubb in 2018.

Bonitto was the third player to get a preseason extension from Denver. The team signed wide receiver Courtland Sutton to a 4-year, $92 million extension in July; they signed fellow 2024 All-Pro Zach Allen to a 4-year, $102 million extension in August.

Bonitto said he was well aware he could have made more money had he played out the final year of his rookie deal and sought a contract next year, but he wanted to commit to his teammates for the long haul.

“We’re a really good football team,” he said. “I’m a guy that’s continuing to grow, and just being around a team like this that’s continued to get better and better, why wouldn’t I want to set myself up to play here now and continue to grow and build with these guys for the next couple years? And just try to compete to be at the top of the league.”