When it comes to the business of negotiating lucrative contract extensions, Denver Broncos general manager George Paton has his hands full. While front office juggling acts are very much part of Payton's job description, he might be keen to hedge his bets when it comes to negotiating an extension for outstanding 25-year-old rush linebacker Nik Bonitto.
Bonitto's breakout 2024 campaign delivered a team-high13.5 sacks, but NFL analyst Brian Baldinger has suggested that Bonitto is still very much in prove-it territory after a pair of "two real good years."
"It's all business. He's put two real good years back-to-back," Baldinger told DNVR. "I would say the breakout came in 23, but certainly last year. The chips that are coming, the slides that are coming, all of those things are now going to be coming Nik's way."
Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors tend to put a young ascending player like Bonitto in a good negotiating position, but opposing blocking schemes are now well aware of the threat the Broncos' young pass rusher poses. In the early conversations between Bonitto and the Broncos, a basic framework is likely going to top $20 million per year, and timelines will be pushed along by his pending free agency status after the 2025 season.
Therefore, a determination to get a deal done will likely persist, but it's more of a question of when, rather than whether, it will all come together. Where exactly Bonitto sits on Paton's priority list is open to some debate because All-Pro defensive end Zach Allen, veteran wide receiver Courtland Sutton, and defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers are also entering a contract year, seeking a new contract.
Perhaps that's why Baldinger suggests that the Broncos would prefer to see Bonitto produce another strong showing before they push him to the top of their to-do list.
"Teams aren't just going to throw you the top money at the edge position, they're going to make you fight for it," Baldinger said. "Most teams are like that."
As far as premier edge rushers go, Paton is fully aware that the price tag for a young talent like Bonitto is only going to go up with every sack and big play he makes. Striking a deal in-season, especially if Bonitto is playing well, might be the pragmatic middle ground the Broncos come down on
Irrespective of the standard posturing general managers do in contract negotiations, it's probable that the Broncos would like nothing more than to hash out a deal that allows them to build around Bonitto moving forward. History tells us that salary cap limitations will make it all the more complicated to keep this group together over the long term, but if Baldinger is right, Bonitto returning in 2026 could very well be tied to how he performs early in the 2025 season.
