
#15 LB · Denver Broncos
Height
6'3"
Weight
240 lbs
Age
26
College
Oklahoma
Draft
2022, Rd 2, #64
Experience
4 yrs
LB Rank
#82 / 347
Grade Nik Bonitto
Your grade joins the crowd-sourced Fan Verdict.
On the field, Nik Bonitto grades out as a shaky LB for Denver Broncos (D+ Performance). That places him 82nd of 347 graded linebackers. Against that production, his deal reads as fairly priced on the Contract Value Index (C) — the team is paying below what the play would command. The public read is positive (B Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal rather than the box score.
| Year | Team | GP | Tkl | Sacks | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | ![]() | 64 | 138 | 37.0 | 1 |
| 2025 | ![]() | 17 | 46 | 14.0 | 0 |
| 2024 | ![]() | 17 | 48 | 13.5 | 1 |
| 2023 | ![]() | 15 |
| Season | Team | GP | Tkl | Sacks | INT | PD | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ![]() | 17 | 46 | 14.0 | 0 | — | D- D- |
| 2024 | ![]() | 17 | 48 | 13.5 | 1 | — | C+ C+ |
| 2023 | ![]() | 15 | 30 | 8.0 | 0 | — | C- C- |
| 2022 | ![]() | 15 | 14 | 1.5 | 0 | — | F F |
Grades reflect the player's performance in each season. Header grade shows the current season.
Length
4 years
Total Value
$106.0M
Guaranteed
$38.3M
AAV
$26.5M/yr
The Broncos handed Nik Bonitto a massive $26.5M AAV extension that looks like a significant overpay for a rotational linebacker, earning a C CVI grade that reflects Denver's aggressive bet on upside over proven production. At $106M total, this deal pays Bonitto like an elite edge rusher when his current output suggests he's closer to a solid rotational piece rather than a franchise-caliber cornerstone. The four-year structure does provide some salary cap flexibility, but the $38.3M guaranteed represents substantial risk for a player who hasn't consistently dominated as a full-time starter. Denver clearly sees untapped potential in Bonitto's skill set and believes he can elevate his game to match this contract, but paying rotational-level production at elite money is typically a recipe for buyer's remorse. This feels like the Broncos mortgaging future cap space on projection rather than rewarding established excellence, making it a questionable allocation of resources in a salary cap era where every dollar counts.
Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Nik's contract sits relative to comparable money.
Nik Bonitto is a four-year edge rusher for the Denver Broncos whose pass-rush upside has always outpaced his overall defensive profile. His current D+ grade reflects a concerning 2025 slide after earning a C+ in 2024 and a C- in 2023. The trajectory is moving in the wrong direction at a stage when most pass rushers are entering their prime. The one area where Bonitto is genuinely elite is sack production — his 0.82 sacks per game absolutely demolishes the NFL average of 0.23 and surpasses the elite threshold of 0.50. That's a legitimate weapon. However, everything else is a liability: his 2.71 tackles per game trails the NFL average of 3.80, his 0.26 TFL per game lags behind the 0.40 average, and his 0.06 pass deflections per game is well below the 0.20 benchmark. He's a one-tool specialist in a league that increasingly rewards versatility from edge defenders. If Bonitto can't expand his run-defense and coverage contributions, he risks becoming a situational rusher rather than a full-time starter. Watch whether Denver's new defensive scheme finds creative ways to hide his limitations while maximizing his pass-rush gifts. His ceiling remains a high-end rotational edge with double-digit sack potential — but only if the downward trend from 2024 to 2025 reverses course.
Nik Bonitto ranks 82nd of 347 graded linebackers by performance. That slots Nik between Bradley Chubb (C-) just ahead and D.j. Wonnum (D+) just behind.
Graded higher
Bradley ChubbBuffalo BillsC-Khalid KareemNew York GiantsC-Barrett CarterCincinnati BengalsD+Graded lower
D.j. WonnumDetroit LionsNik Bonitto enters the 2026 season as one of the Denver Broncos' most important defensive pieces, having accumulated an impressive 37 career sacks across four seasons that justify his substantial contract investment. Recent coverage paints him as a vocal, engaged team leader, with Bonitto publicly championing young pass rushers like Jonah Elliss and positioning himself as a mentor figure within the defensive unit. His excitement around a potential Von Miller reunion signals strong organizational buy-in and a player who understands the franchise's identity and history. The upcoming Week 1 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs has generated genuine enthusiasm around Bonitto, with media framing him as a key chess piece in a high-profile divisional rivalry. Overall, fan and media perception heading into 2026 is solidly positive — Bonitto is viewed as a productive, well-compensated edge rusher on an ascending Broncos defense, though a Pro Bowl nod or postseason run would be needed to elevate him into the conversation among the AFC's elite pass rushers.
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Nik Bonitto is a player in his 4th NFL season listed at LB for the Denver Broncos. FanVerdicts covers every NFL player, team, GM, and transaction — and puts your verdict on all of it. Sign in to cast your Fan Verdict on Nik Bonitto, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts also brings its own read — performance, sentiment, and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index C, Performance D+, Sentiment B.
The crowd's Fan Verdict moves in real time as fans vote on this profile. FanVerdicts' own read updates as new data lands — performance recalculates when NFL game stats post, sentiment shifts with media coverage and fan discussion, and the Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) behind the Contract Value Index read.
For league-wide context, the NFL hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The NFL player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.
| 30 |
| 8.0 |
| 0 |
| 2022 | ![]() | 15 | 14 | 1.5 | 0 |
Updated Mar 19, 2026
Recent seasons are weighted more heavily in the overall performance grade.
D-
2025
(50% weight)
C+
2024
(30% weight)
C-
2023
(20% weight)
Peers ranked by Performance grade among players at the same position. Tap any name for their full profile.