DENVER (KDVR) — Heading into the 2025 NFL season, many eyes were on the Denver Broncos, a young team that looked ready to take that next step into a regular contender.
The franchise was able to find its starting quarterback for potentially the next decade in Bo Nix, who looks to be on the path to superstardom.
However, one of the biggest reasons teams might be fearful of the Broncos is the work done by the players on the defensive side of the ball. The defensive unit was being heralded in preseason and has backed that up with some impressive performances in the regular season.
The team already has the reigning Defensive Player of the Year with Pat Surtain II, and while he has been his typical self, offering a presence where quarterbacks won’t even look in his direction. His name has not been the one making headlines this season.
The biggest showstopper and defensive stopper has been the uncontainable pass rusher Nik Bonitto, who might earn a shout or two for the Defensive Player of the Year award if he can keep up his current pace.
Bonitto was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week last week for his performance against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Only a week later, another Bronco heard his name called for the honor.
The AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 6 is linebacker Jonathon Cooper, who was the standout player during a historically good Broncos performance against the New York Jets in London.
The Jets were held to -10 net passing yards, which is their franchise worst, and simultaneously the Broncos’ best. It was also the worst passing game in nearly three decades, when the San Diego, now Los Angeles, Chargers threw for -19 yards in 1998.
The Broncos’ defense also tied the franchise record for sacks in a game with nine. Two of those came from Cooper, who recorded one solo and two assisted sacks.
Jets quarterback Justin Fields might be seeing Cooper in nightmares for a while.
Bonitto leads the NFL with 8.0 sacks, and Cooper is not too far behind, tied for eighth with 4.5 sacks.
In 2024, the Broncos broke a franchise record, finishing the season with 63 sacks, which also led the NFL. The Broncos lead the NFL with 30 sacks this season after only six games — they are already about halfway to their record from last year, with a staggering 11 games left to play.
In a very distant second place are the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, tied at 20.
The record for sacks in a season is held by the 1984 Chicago Bears, who accumulated 72. It would be hard for the Broncos to get five a game for the rest of the season, their current average, but if they do, they would blow that number out of the water with 85 sacks.
The scariest part about the team’s defense — it’s only going to get better with the potential return of linebacker Dre Greenlaw next game, after he sat out his required four games on the injury reserve list.
Greenlaw was one of the Broncos’ coveted free agency signings this offseason, signing for a three-year, $35 million contract, alongside San Francisco 49ers teammate and former first-team All-Pro selection, safety Talanoa Hufanga, who also signed a three-year deal.
While they certainly have the propensity for a pass rush, the two are known for their elite coverage and pass-stopping ability that anchored a very successful 49ers team for the last couple of years.
On those days when the Broncos’ offense doesn’t seem to be clicking, they can rest easy knowing that the defense will never allow another team’s offense to click — ever.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
