The Denver Broncos are excited about second-round draft pick Nik Bonitto, but the outside linebacker seems to be going through some growing pains.
Bonitto has struggled at times to set the edge against the run, and he’s been penalized for false starts in pass-rush situations this preseason.
“Whenever you’re a rookie coming into the NFL, there’s always going to be some difficulties and learning a new system and all those things,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said after the game. “He went against a couple of veteran quarterbacks today. So going against those guys, they know how to work the count. They know how to work him.
“They probably saw that he was trying to get off the ball quick and they got him a couple times in those pre-snap penalties. Then that kind of affects you and then you lose some other things. But you know, he’s coming along fine. It’s one of those things — he is a rookie, and he’s got to work even harder to understand the system.”
Fortunately, the Broncos aren’t counting on Bonitto to start this season. He’ll likely serve as a rotational pass rusher behind Bradley Chubb and Randy Gregory, giving him more time to fine-tune his craft ahead of taking on a larger role in 2023.
Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
