They say you can't have too many good pass rushers, but the Denver Broncos are putting that idea to the test.
The Broncos, in an attempt to get snaps for everyone in their loaded group of edge rushers, are going to give Jonah Elliss a shot at some linebacker reps in the 2026 offseason. Of course, as good as Elliss has been at rushing the passer off the edge as a rotational player over his first two NFL seasons, not everybody in Broncos Country is thrilled about the idea of a full-time position switch.
But perhaps an endorsement from the team's best pass rusher, Nik Bonitto, will help everyone feel a little better about it.
Nik Bonitto endorses Denver Broncos' decision to let Jonah Elliss play linebacker
Here's what Bonitto had to say on a Twitter/X post regarding the Elliss news, and some pushback from former Broncos offensive lineman Tyler Polumbus:
"Most versatile player in football I have no doubt he will make plays no matter where he is lined up."
- Nik Bonitto (via Twitter/X)
It is going to be fascinating to see just how versatile of a role the Broncos have envisioned for Elliss in 2026. He's been a rotational player through his first two NFL seasons, but as a third-round pick in 2024, the vision has to have been that he would start at some point during his rookie contract.
The Broncos have two big-money edge players in Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, so Elliss's snaps are already going to be limited. But can he play some off-ball linebacker as well as off the edge? Absolutely. With both Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad returning for the 2026 season, the Broncos can get creative and be patient with this transition.
When Sean Payton was discussing this position change at the NFL owner meetings in Arizona, he referenced a couple of players he drafted in New Orleans -- Kaden Elliss and Zack Baun -- as potentially similar situations.
The situations may not be identical, but Elliss definitely has the athletic traits and football IQ to make the position switch. It won't be an easy one, but we have seen guys do it in the past and still be pressure players from that off-ball linebacker spot.
And who knows? Maybe the Broncos will truly unlock something in Elliss by doing this. Maybe this is where he'll find a long-term home at the NFL level. The only mistake the Broncos could make here is convincing themselves that a Jonah Elliss position switch pushes linebacker down the list of NFL Draft priorities.
This is too deep of a class to forsake that position entirely, even if you're as optimistic as Nik Bonitto that Elliss will be able to figure it out.