What if I told you the Denver Broncos' record-setting pass rush could get even better in the 2026 season?
The Broncos have set franchise records in sacks in back-to-back seasons. They racked up an extremely impressive 63 sacks in the 2024 season, and followed that up by challenging for the all-time record (72) with 68 sacks in the 2025 season. That record, held by the Chicago Bears, has stood since all the way back in 1984. If the Broncos are going to challenge for the record again in 2026, they're going to need other players to step up, and one of them is a stud off the edge that the league is not ready for.
Jonah Elliss is entering his 3rd NFL season, and after flirting with the idea of moving him to a stand-up linebacker position, the Broncos are keeping him at EDGE, and he has a chance to skyrocket in 2026.
Jonah Elliss is the Denver Broncos' breakout player the rest of the NFL is not ready for
Through two seasons so far, Elliss has played in 30 games for the Broncos, and was named to the 2024 All-Rookie team after racking up 5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 6 QB hits, and 9 pressures. He was even more effective on a per-snap basis in 2025 with 14 pressures in 13 games, adding 2.5 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, and 5 more QB hits.
Playing just 38 percent of the defensive snaps over his first two NFL seasons, Elliss has been a part-time player making a big-time impact. He's shown his tremendous closing speed, hustle, power, and tenacity when he's on the field, but has also been stuck behind Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper.
With Cooper's off-field status leaving his on-field status in question, Elliss could be in line for the most significant role we've seen in 2026. And even without Cooper's situation off the field, Elliss's talent and production when his number gets called warrants an increase of snaps this coming season.
Cooper has made plenty of impact plays in his time with the Broncos, but he disappeared in the second half of last season. From Week 10 through the end of the regular season, Cooper had just 5 QB hits, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 sack.
Even though he finished last season with 8 sacks, that lack of production down the stretch of the season should at least open up the competition off the edge, and Elliss has been out there with the starters this offseason while Cooper has been dealing with his off-field issues.
Again, regardless of the off-field situation that hangs in the balance for the time being, Elliss deserves more of an opportunity. And this feels like the perfect year for the Broncos to give it to him.
The rest of the league simply isn't ready for the Broncos to have another impact player off the edge, and the idea of Elliss being a breakout player would also be good news for Nik Bonitto. Those two players together would give the Broncos a physical and extremely athletic duo off the edge with plenty of depth behind them in Dondrea Tillman and Que Robinson.
The reason the Broncos were planning on trying Elliss out at linebacker in the first place was simply finding ways to get his talent on the field. This is a player they want to be out there more than 38 percent of the time, and they're going to make it happen.
And what heights could this pass rush reach if Elliss is a breakout player the league doesn't expect in 2026?
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