Jonah Elliss has spent two seasons giving the Broncos flashes instead of a full-blown takeover. That stretch may be ending in a hurry.
With Jonathon Cooper starting the year on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, Elliss is lined up for a bigger role right away, and Denver’s patience with the outside linebacker looks ready to cash in. He enters his third NFL season with a chance to turn a steady climb into something much louder, starting in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The numbers already hint at why the Broncos are so intrigued. In 30 games over the last two seasons, Elliss has played 752 total snaps, logging 7.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 11 QB hits and 24 pressures. He was an All-Rookie performer in 2024 while working in a rotational role, and over that span he’s been on the field for exactly 38 percent of Denver’s defensive snaps.
That workload has kept him just outside the league-wide conversation, but not inside the Broncos’ building. Elliss has been dealing with injuries, including a shoulder issue that was already part of his story before he even reached the NFL. This offseason, though, he’s been fully healthy and disruptive throughout the Broncos’ offseason program, training camp and the preseason.
There’s some pre-Week 1 hype baked into it, sure, but the case for a breakout is easy to see. If Elliss is pushed into a starting role, double-digit sacks isn’t some wild leap. The Broncos may have been sitting on a player whose production has only been limited by opportunity.
The preseason gave one clear example of what that looks like. On a play against the Atlanta Falcons, Elliss came off the left edge with enough burst to get the tackle on his heels right away.
He used that quickness, then his upper-body strength, to knock the blocker aside before redirecting inside and getting his hands into the throwing lane. Riley Moss ended up with the interception, but the pressure came from Elliss doing exactly what disruptive edge rushers do: forcing chaos.
A lot of quarterbacks will see him flashing from the corner of their eye and try to get rid of the ball before the hit lands. But that quick reaction can open the door to a strip-sack, which is part of what makes his style so dangerous.
Elliss doesn’t win like a finesse rusher. He plays with violent intent, and his game is built on more than just speed.
He’s instinctive, he’s got a natural feel for rushing the passer, and he can convert speed to power when he gets a tackle leaning the wrong way. He also comes from a football family, and it shows in the way he plays.
Denver has seen enough growth to believe there won’t be a noticeable drop-off off the edge without Cooper in the mix. That’s why Elliss feels like one of the quieter names to watch in Week 1 - and maybe one of the biggest breakout bets on the defensive side of the ball in 2026.
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