It's not a mystery that the Denver Broncos have the best pass rush in the NFL, and there isn't any reason to believe that it won't again be the best in 2026. The Broncos have led the NFL in sacks in each of the last two seasons and always seem to notch a big one when it matters the most.
Sure, you could argue that the defense is more finesse than physical, but the Broncos have leaned into what they do the best for multiple years now. With the key pass-rushers all set to return in 2026, save John Franklin-Myers, the Broncos could find themselves again at the top of the NFL sack leader list.
But two of the main pieces that make this pass rush go are the EDGE duo of Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, who were recently given a mountain of praise...
Denver Broncos' pass rush duo ranked No. 2 in the NFL heading into 2026
For Bleacher Report, Gary Davenport ranked the Broncos' EDGE duo second in the NFL, only trailing the Houston Texans:
"Nik Bonitto of the Denver Broncos is one of the best-edge-rushers in the NFL who doesn't get a ton of run as one of the best edge-rushers in the NFL.
In 2024, Bonitto exploded into stardom with 13.5 sacks. He backed that up last year by getting to the quarterback 14 times. While speaking to reporters, former Broncos great Von Miller said that Bonitto's first step is as good as any in the game.
"That's how you come off the ball, he's first over and over again," Miller said. "All those guys [Jonathon] Cooper, Zach Allen ... they have the get-off. They win the first step. But Nik Bonitto, he may not even know why he is so good yet because he's young. But it's good."
Of course, it doesn't hurt that opponents can't focus on Bonitto because of the presence of Allen and Bonitto's partner in crime on the edge in Jonathon Cooper. Cooper may not be an elite talent, but the 28-year-old is talented, versatile and productive—in each of the past three seasons, Cooper has hit the 50-tackle mark and added at least eight sacks.
Over the last two years, the pair have combined to post 46 sacks.
That's rather a lot."
There really isn't much to disagree with here. The Broncos have a homegrown EDGE duo in Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, second and seventh-round pick respectively, and what's turned into a stellar free agency find in Zach Allen, who signed with the team from the Arizona Cardinals back in 2023.
The Broncos have also gotten some help from the defensive tackles in DJ Jones and Malcolm Roach. Both Jones and Roach excel against the run, but Roach, especially, brings more interior pressure. Obviously, losing Franklin-Myers in free agency does hurt, but two recent third-round picks in Sai'vion Jones and Tyler Onyedim could help fill that void.
And we haven't yet even mentioned Dondrea Tillman and Que Robinson, two rotational players who make the most of their opportunities. For more perspective, let's combine the pass-rushing totals from Bonitto, Cooper, and Allen since the start of the 2023 season, via Pro Football Reference:
Sacks: 83
Tackles for loss: 97
QB Hits: 232
Tackles for loss aren't inherently pass-rush stats, but all of these numbers just go to show you just how efficient this team is at getting into the backfield. Given that the Broncos main contributors along the defensive line are still not yet 'old' by NFL standards, the 2026 season could be more of the same.
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