The Broncos already have one of the NFL’s most dangerous pass rushes, and they may still be only scratching the surface.
Denver has stacked franchise-record sack totals in back-to-back seasons, piling up 63 in 2024 before coming back with 68 in 2025. That latter number put the Broncos within striking distance of the league’s all-time mark of 72, set by the Chicago Bears in 1984.
If Denver makes another run at that record in 2026, it may not come just from the names everyone already knows. Jonah Elliss looks primed to become another problem for opposing offenses.
Elliss is heading into his third NFL season, and after the Broncos briefly considered using him as a stand-up linebacker, they’re keeping him at EDGE. That alone gives him a real shot to take off.
In two seasons, Elliss has appeared in 30 games and already made his presence felt. He earned a spot on the 2024 All-Rookie team after posting 5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 6 QB hits, and 9 pressures. He was even more efficient in 2025, finishing with 14 pressures in 13 games along with 2.5 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, and 5 QB hits.
The bigger picture is what makes him so intriguing. Elliss has played only 38 percent of Denver’s defensive snaps across his first two seasons, which means the Broncos have gotten real production from a player who has mostly been used in a limited role.
When he’s on the field, he’s shown closing speed, hustle, power, and tenacity. The problem has been the logjam ahead of him, with Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper taking up most of the runway.
That could be changing. Cooper’s off-field status has put his on-field role in question, and Elliss has been working with the starters this offseason while Cooper has dealt with those issues. Even beyond that uncertainty, Elliss has already done enough to justify more snaps.
Cooper has had his moments in Denver, but his finish to last season was quiet. From Week 10 through the end of the regular season, he managed just 5 QB hits, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 sack. He still ended the year with 8 sacks, but that late-season dip at least opens the door for a real competition off the edge.
If Elliss gets the larger role his production suggests he should, the Broncos could end up with another impact rusher in a group that already features Bonitto. Add in Dondrea Tillman and Que Robinson behind them, and Denver suddenly has the look of a physical, athletic edge unit with real depth.
That was the whole point of experimenting with Elliss at linebacker in the first place: finding a way to get him on the field more often. The Broncos have made it clear they want him out there more than 38 percent of the time, and 2026 looks like the year they finally do it.
In Other News...
Broncos Fans Wont All Agree On This Marvin Mims Trade Idea
Marvin Mims Jr. keeps popping up in the kind of trade chatter that tends to split a fan base, because his value to the Broncos is easy to see from more than one angle. He has been one of the leagues most dangerous kick returners and has already earned two Pro Bowl nods in his first three seasons, while also flashing as Denvers most consistent deep threat when the offense has let him stretch the field.
Bleacher Reports Moe Moton floated a scenario in which a late-round 2027 draft pick could come back to Denver for Mims, but the timing makes the conversation more complicated than a simple sell-high debate. Mims is still under contract for 2026 and wont hit unrestricted free agency until after that season, so the Broncos would have to decide whether the return now is worth giving up a player who still has room to matter both on special teams and in the passing game. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Week 1 Suddenly Carries A Massive Mahomes Shadow
The Broncos season opener already had the feel of a measuring-stick game, and now it carries a little more weight with Kansas Citys quarterback situation hanging over it. Denver and the Chiefs are set for a Monday Night Football showdown to open the 2026 season, a stage that would have plenty of attention even before the matchup got a fresh layer of intrigue.
Patrick Mahomes has said he wants to be ready for Week 1, but his return is not something he can simply declare on his own. The final call will come down to the medical side and the coaching staff, which leaves Denver with a familiar opponent and an uncertain one at the same time, after the Broncos swept Kansas City in last seasons series. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Just Made An Unusual Bet On An Undrafted Linebacker
The Broncos made a notable small-swing investment in Taurean York, signing the former Texas A&M linebacker as an undrafted free agent for the 2026 season. York arrives with real college credentials, having started for three years and worn a captains badge twice for the Aggies, but his path to the NFL was slowed by questions about his size rather than his rsum.
Denvers interest says plenty about how it views the linebacker room heading into camp. With the roster needing more reliable depth and special teams help, York has a chance to carve out a role if he can translate that leadership and production into pro-ready play, and the contract the Broncos gave him shows how strongly they wanted to get him in the building. [Read more 🡒]