With two Denver Broncos whose deals were set to expire after the 2025 season signed to extensions, fans may wonder who will be next. The most likely candidate may be 2022 second-round rush linebacker Nik Bonitto, who is coming off his best season as a pro.
Bonitto finished the 2024 season with 13.5 sacks (third-most in the NFL) and 36 pressures. He was voted to his first Pro Bowl and received second-team Associated Press All-Pro honors.
The Possible Holdup
I have previously suggested Bonitto could be extended during the 2025 season, with the Broncos likely wanting to see how he follows up on his 2024 breakout campaign. But another reason might be that other edge rushers around the NFL have yet to sign extensions.
The two most notable are Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys and Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals. Parsons has recently requested a trade and Hendrickson is a hold-in at Bengals training camp.
While one shouldn’t expect Bonitto to approach the salary that Parsons and Hendrickson would likely receive, if they do come to terms on an extension, the numbers could matter when it comes to the franchise tag.
Franchise Tag
The NFL determines the franchise tag on the basis of the highest-paid players at each position. Edge rushers tend to get grouped with linebackers, with Parsons, Hendrickson, and Bonitto being players who would get the franchise tag for linebackers if it came down to their teams using it.
Therefore, when it comes to Bonitto, his agent is likely to look at what the tag might cost and use that as a figure in negotiations. Over The Cap currently projects the linebacker franchise tag to be about $26 million, but that number could rise depending on what Parsons or Hendrickson get in an extension — assuming their current teams get them re-signed.
What an Extension Could Look Like
This does not mean Bonitto will get paid an amount that puts him in the top five of edge rushers. But his agent may want to see what happens with other players before agreeing to anything at this time.
I previously projected that Bonitto would get a four-year deal that averages between $22M and $24M per year with at least $50M in fully guaranteed money. That pays him what one should expect for an edge rusher like him — a player who isn’t truly elite but has shown he can produce at a high level more often than not.
The Takeaway
Only time will tell what Bonitto actually gets in a new deal, but Broncos fans should have faith that a deal will get done. The Broncos have shown they are willing to handle contract talks professionally and don’t let them turn into unnecessary drama, as has happened with Parsons and Hendrickson.
But if Bonitto’s agent is waiting to see what happens with Parsons and Hendrickson, that may be another reason why the Broncos haven't gotten an extension done. However, if the Broncos continue to handle contract talks professionally, they should come to an accord at some point.
All Broncos fans can do is be patient — and more importantly, know that the team has worked diligently to extend the players it wishes to keep. The Broncos’ willingness to get deals done with players they want to keep should mean they eventually get a deal done with Bonitto.
