The Denver Broncos lost Nik Bonitto to an injury in practice today, although he was able to walk off on his own.
The Denver Broncos had heir first training camp setback today, as star linebacker Nik Bonitto hobbled off afer sustaining a lower body injury, according to a report from Luca Evans of the Denver Post.
The injury occurred early in practice today, and Bonitto was helped off by two members of Denver’s training staff after he went down in pain, according to Evans, during an early inside run drill. Bonitto was observed trying to stretch his leg before he was able to get up and limp back to the training room while grimacing, the writer added.
Bonitto initially had his arms slung across the shoulders of the trainers to help balance himself, but eventually he was able to hold his own and limp off under his own power. Fellow linebacker Jonathon Cooper, who is facing problems of a very different sort, jogged over to check on Bonitto before returning to the drill.
The fact that Bonitto was able to make it off without being helped seemed promising, and coach Sean Payton said that “he’ll be fine,” although Payton declined to provide a substantive update on his star linebacker after practice.
Bonitto is high on the list of players the Broncos can’t afford to lose. The 26-year old edge rusher has grown into a star during his four years with the Broncos, and he broke out in 2024 by recording 13.5 sacks and making second-team All-Pro.
The Broncos then signed Bonitto to a four-year extension worth up to $120 million, and the linebacker lived up to the deal, recording 14 sacks last year to to with 28 quarterback hits, according to Evans. Bonitto finished fourth the voting for Defensive Player of the Year, and he’s scheduled to make $15.2 million this season.
Bonitto did play through injuries last year, however, as Evans characterized him a “banged up.” He had a bone spur removed from his foot during preseason last year, and Bonitto hurt his wrist by banging on the turf in frustration after missing an interception. He played the rest of the season with what the writer described as a “club” on his right arm.
The linebacker has talked extensively about what he needs to do to improve this year, although Bonitto is slightly undersized and it’s hard not to imagine that he’s close to his ceiling. It’s a sign of his dedication and leadership abilities as well, which is another reason the Broncos need him in the lineup.
