Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - Denver Broncos' Pass Rush DUO Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper Poised to DOMINATE

Starting point is 00:00:00 When it comes to the Denver Broncos outside linebacker room, both the present and the future are here. You are locked on Broncos, your daily Denver Broncos podcast, part of the locked on podcast network, your team every day. What's happening at Broncos country? I'm Cody Rourke. And on today's episode of the show, we're focusing on the Broncos outside linebacker room. Q Robinson's time to shine. It is coming up here in 2026 with a more prominent role heading his direction. But on top of that, Nick Benito and Jonathan Cooper can become one of the best pass rush duos in the NFL this upcoming season. They're already a dynamic tandem, but how can they take that next step? We're going to kick things off by taking a look at this entire outside linebacker room. And right now, when you look at it in 2026 and beyond, the present and the future are here.

Starting point is 00:00:53 Bracko's country, let's go into it. I'll see some of the key storylines facing this position coming into the offseason program. We know Jonah Ellis is making the switch from outside linebacker. to off ball linebacker. And it is very unclear at this point whether or not he'll split time at both positions or if he'll be full time at off ball. That's something we're going to have to wait to see once the team reports onto the field for OTA's mandatory minicamp beginning in the first week of June through on throughout this season.

Starting point is 00:01:21 There throughout those next couple of weeks there before they have a break before training camp. But right now what we do know is that outside lineback room features Nick Benito, who we talked about in a bonus episode early on the week. If you miss that, make sure you go check it out. and why he's poised for a monster year in 2026. But Jonathan Cooper, Nick Bonito, right now, Dandre Tillman and Q Robinson are the four players that are headlining this room coming into training camp. We know what Nick Benito brings to the table. We know what Jonathan Cooper brings to the table.

Starting point is 00:01:50 We'll talk about that duo a little bit more in-depth as we go about on today's show. But I want to talk about this room and whether or not Denver will play with the idea of having four players at this position with Jonah Ellis being this flex guy who can play both. That might be something they keep in mind when it comes to crunching down the roster size numbers at the end of August when you have to cut down from 90 to 53. That could give the Broncos some flexibility to maybe keep an extra body at another position. But then you have to factor in the NFL draft, late stage free agency signings, undrafted rookie free agents, how you see all that playing out. It'll really determine the path that Denver takes, but typically they've carried five outside linebackers on this roster. And the challenge going into 2026 is, well, hey, if you want to see Q. Robinson get more time on the field with this position switch for Jonah Ellis. So now Denver's got four guys, prominently that they like with Benito, with Cooper, with Dondray Tillman, who they really, really like, folks.

Starting point is 00:02:49 He's going to be a really, I'd say his role this season is probably going to be very big compared to maybe what we've seen early on his first two seasons in the NFL. but it is Q Robinson's opportunity to get more playing time and to be in that rotation. And when you have four of these pass rushers, the way that Denver has and the way that they rotate these guys, it is rare you ever get five of them on field. It really depends on who you're facing from a matchup standpoint. Denver carried five last year on the 53. Q. Robinson was prominently inactive for a large portion of the season, except in certain situations, certain games where Denver was banged up with Jonah Ellis having injuries.

Starting point is 00:03:27 Dandre Tillman having a couple of, you know, dings and bumps along the way. Denver, Nick Benito, Jonathan Cooper, those guys playing through injuries last season, you would have one guy inactive. And Denver likes this room here. And as we saw with Q Robinson in the short sample size that he played last season, he's too good to be a game day inactive. Dondre Tillman is too good to be a game day inactive. And if Jonah was staying at outside linebacker, he's too good to be inactive.

Starting point is 00:03:55 You've got three young pass rushers that you want to see more of behind your two star pass rushers in Benito and Cooper. So I'm very curious to see how Denver and Sean Payton balances the roster management of this room and maybe how it impacts other positions going forward, specifically even offball linebacker with Jonah. But you like this because Nick Benito signed to a contract extension. Jonathan Cooper extended a couple of years ago and Denver still has, I'd say a good amount of time on his contract with him right now. If you look at our friends over there at Spot Track, Cooper, he's going into this season with a base salary of $1.2 million. Obviously, his cap hit is $5.7 million. Going into the next season, his base salary would be $12.9 with a $17.5 million cap hit.

Starting point is 00:04:39 Denver once again restructured him this offseason. He'll more than likely restructure again next off season. But Devers got at least two more years here with Jonathan Cooper on his current deal outside of just this year. And I'm curious to see how they balance that out. I mean, Cooper is obviously a name. I think some teams would probably call about in the next year or two to say, hey, you got some young pass rushers. What do you think about giving us Jonathan Cooper?

Starting point is 00:05:03 I don't think Denver would do that, nor do I think that they should. I think Cooper is very valuable to what Denver brings to the table here. But you also look at, okay, where's Dandre Tillman in his development? They've loved his trajectory. Q Robinson, a guy that they invest in draft capital in, who shined in the limited sample size we saw last year. They love what he's bringing to the table. and they want to see more of him.

Starting point is 00:05:25 So right now, I think a lot of people would say, well, hey, the Bronkers just trade one of their pass rushers, and then now you have flexibility here. I don't like the idea of that. Just because you have some young guys that are exciting, doesn't mean that you trade proven players away. I've never been a big believer. And I don't think George Payton is either.

Starting point is 00:05:41 So a couple more years, a few more years, at least right now with Nick Benito, Jonathan Cooper. I like that. And there's a chance that these two guys going into 2026, they could become one of the best pass rush duos in the NFL. And if Vance Joseph has anything to say for it, he'll make sure that that happens. We'll break it all down here on today's episode of the show.

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Starting point is 00:07:20 It's the relief of walking in and meeting a real person. locking out knowing your taxes are being handled right. Head to turbotax.com slash local to find a store near you and book your appointment. Nick Benito and Jonathan Cooper have been an ascending duo in the NFL over the course of the last couple of seasons. And in 2026, they have a chance to become one of the best pass rush duos in the league. And there's some really good company out there with Will Anderson, DeNeil Hunter. You talk about the Houston Texans pass rush duo. But Jonathan Cooper and Nick Benito last year were quietly one of the better units as well.

Starting point is 00:07:52 and the year before they both hit double-digit sacks collectively. And the Broncos hadn't had that happen in quite some time since Von Miller and Bradley Chubb did that back in 2018. But ironic enough, they found that under Vance Joseph here. And Jonathan Cooper didn't get to double digits last season for Denver. Nick Benito got to 14. Cooper got to eight sacks. But there was a stretch of games for both Benito and Cooper

Starting point is 00:08:16 where they struggled with registering a sack, but their impact was still felt another way, stopping the run, creating pressure, but just quarterbacks trying to figure out how to get the ball out of their hands quickly. Jonathan Cooper was dealing with an injury last season, as was Benito here. But going into 2026, depending on obviously the tough schedule that Denver set to play, we saw the Broncos really embrace cage rush against some of these mobile quarterbacks who could dip it up underneath. And part of the interior success was Zach Allen, John Franklin Myers, Malcolm Roach, DJ Jones. And at times, Enjoma Uazareke, they did a really good job of making sure that quarterbacks,

Starting point is 00:08:50 just couldn't take it through the A and the B gaps. And it allowed guys like Benito and Cooper to crash in or make plays. That's what you need here. And Cooper, man, you talk about the heart and the motor that he has plus Benito. That's one thing I love about this duo and why I think they can be one of the best units in the NFL this upcoming season. But let's go back to our friends over there at True Media where they give us some insight in terms of the pressure looks for Denver. Now, when you think you look at pressures, Nick Benito was eighth in the NFL last season with pressures.

Starting point is 00:09:18 he had 76 total credited pressures across the board, according to true media. Jonathan Cooper was 31st, and there are a ton of pass rushers throughout the NFL. So 8 and 31st, when you have a top 35, top 40 pass rush duel in terms of pressures with your outside linebackers, that's great, but that's not even factoring in Zach Allen. That's not factoring in all these other guys, JFM. Denver had four or five players that were top 60 in terms of pressures last season. That is an impressive feat. But when you look at this current room as it's constructed, well, let's take a look at Nick Bonito, 76 pressures last year.

Starting point is 00:09:54 Jonathan Cooper, 51, Dondray Tillman, 24 pressures. Now, there's an evident gap difference in terms of snaps played where let's take a look at Jonathan Cooper compared to Dondre Tillman. Cooper had 645 total defensive snaps last season. Dondre Tillman had 391. So 391 snaps, 24 pressures. That's what you like to see right there. Andre had three tackles for a loss. And this is where I think the Broncos outside linebacker room is very good.

Starting point is 00:10:23 It's the ability to not only keep your contain, but it's to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Nick Benito last season had 14 tackles for a loss, disrupting plays in the backfield. A lot of those came on first down. So you know that's helping the defense find success there because now you're facing, you know, an offense that has to play a little bit more aggressive if they're backed up behind the sticks going on second down and third down. 14 for Benito, eight TFLs for Jonathan Cooper and three of them for obviously Dondre Tillman.

Starting point is 00:10:52 Now the difference between Nick Benito, Cooper, and Tillman in some statistical categories this year where Benito and Cooper didn't have an impact. Dondre Tillman did with the two interceptions of 59-yard interception returns, turn yards that he certainly had last season. Big plays proven to be a dynamic player with the ball in his hands. Denver has a group of guys here with at least Tillman and Benoit. Nito and Cooper that you know, hey, with these three guys, and we anticipate Dandre is going to take on a little bit more of a prominent role, play more snaps now that Jonah is making this theoretical switch to offball linebacker. I think that Dondre can do even more. And I think the Broncos believe that as well. We don't know. And that's where I think it's Q Robinson's time to shine here, folks, is we don't

Starting point is 00:11:35 know what Q is going to necessarily bring to the table just yet. I'm excited to see that because when I watch him on tape, and I've done several breakdowns on this, Q is a player who knows. knows how to maintain his leverage. He's this hybrid athletic player who's got a good combination of speed and strength. And I'd say decent size to his game where he knows how to attack blocks without getting sealed inside. He knows if there's a toss player or a stretch play and the offensive line is trying to attack him wide. He doesn't give ground. He knows how to keep his outside hand free not to get sealed inside by the offensive tackle to force the running back to cut back in. He does a really good job of that. How does he do with a larger sample size? Well, let's take a look at Jonah Ellis last season. In contrast, he played in 13 games for the Broncos, missed four, obviously due to being on IR. He had a combination of a shoulder, a rib, and also a hamstring injury. I mean, Jonah fought through some things last year as well, but he had 298 defensive

Starting point is 00:12:31 snaps in 13 games. So you can imagine maybe splitting that up with Dondre getting more and Q may be splitting. I mean, those guys might be very equal if they can all play in 17 games next season. they have a chance to have arguably the deepest pass rush depth in the NFL at the outside linebacker position. And when Nick Benito and Jonathan Cooper need a breather, you're trusting that, hey, Dandre and Q, these guys can step in and the production's not going to dip off. I think that's going to be a very important piece to look for here this offseason as Denver's going through training camp and seeing who Denver even adds to this room. I think obviously as the season goes about. But another thing I would even say, too, is, hey, who's Sean?

Starting point is 00:13:12 who could be an undrafted or maybe a practice squad player that could get some call-ups, right, that could factor into maybe that fifth option. I don't think Denver is going to carry five players at this position on their 53. I think they're going to allocate an additional number of guys and maybe in another position. And because of the flexibility of Jonah Ellis being able to play both, well, now you kind of have one player who can play two positions. And so that frees up a roster spot for you here. Hugh Robinson will get more time this upcoming season, as will Dondre Tillman.

Starting point is 00:13:42 I guarantee you behind Benito and Cooper, if they can play up to that standard. And obviously, I think health is a major contingent upon that. I mean, the fact that these guys, Benito played with an elbow brace like a bionic arm all season long, Cooper played with an undisclosed injury all throughout the season, and they still had the impact that they did to help Denver get to 68 sacks on the season collectively as a team setting a new franchise record. That speaks volumes as to what the Bronco scheme could do for them. But I think these players, as they train as they go into another year, they're going to

Starting point is 00:14:12 constantly raise the stakes for themselves. The level of play is going to rise for not only Benito and Cooper, but now it's going to rise for Dandre and for Q getting more prominent snaps on the field on both defense and special teams, it's going to be fun to see how it all plays out here. Brockos Country, let me know your thoughts on today's bonus episode of the show. What you think about Denver's outside linebacker position, Sarah and I, we're going to have you covered tomorrow for a brand new episode of shows. We talk about Darren Rizzine, the three biggest questions facing him.

Starting point is 00:14:39 And in the meantime, if you want to support the show, make sure you become in every day or you already listen to the show every day but coming every day or with the every dayer club and get access to all 22 film breakdowns access to our exclusive community in discord with other members of Broncos country discounts on lockdown merch and so much thank you for making us your first listen we'll see you tomorrow for a brand new episode of the show

Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - Denver Broncos' Pass Rush DUO Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper Poised to DOMINATE

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