Most of the chatter with the Denver Broncos this year has been due to the defense. Nik Bonitto and Patrick Surtain II have again been elite, and Bonitto has hit a new level. Coming into Week 6, Bonitto had seven sacks. The young pass rusher added another sack to his total against the Jets and is now already at eight this year.
It's not crazy to think that he could hit the double-digit sacks after the team's Week 7 game against the New York Giants. It's also not crazy to think that that he's the favorite for the Defensive Player of the Year award, and it would be historical to see two Denver Broncos win the award in two-straight years.
However, there is a huge player on the other side of the defensive line from Bonitto who has made his mark. He's not quite as good but is still an extremely talented player and was there on the final play of the Jets' last drive, helping clinch the win.
Jonathon Cooper has been flat-out insane for the Denver Broncos this year
Jonathon Cooper is a very good player - he's one of the better pass rushers in the NFL and was a seventh-round pick by the Broncos back in the 2021 NFL Draft. He's inked an extension with the team and is actually one of the more successful seventh-rounders in the history of the NFL.
He patrols the other side of the defensive line opposite Bonitto, and this duo has emerged as the best in the NFL. A huge reason why Nik Bonitto is able to feast is because offenses still have to respect Cooper, and on the final play of the New York Jets' last offensive drive, Cooper was the first one to the QB and helped sack Fields, clinching the win.
The Denver Broncos have an unsung hero on their defense, and while we talk about Bonitto, Cooper deserves his flowers.