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Broncos Had Multiple Defensive Risers In This Stock Report
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- Broncos Had Multiple Defensive Risers In This Stock Report
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Denver Bronco s have plenty of players whose performance didn't exactly measure up, but they did have some risers on the defensive side of the ball in the weekly stock report from Sam Jane of the Denver Post.
Nik Bonitto, OLB
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The Broncos have been waiting for Bonitto to get going, and he's had to make some adjustments with running mate Jonathon Cooper out of the lineup. But Bonitto showed up and played big against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, as he had two sacks, three tackles for loss and two quarterback hits.
Bonitto has said sacks come in bunches, per Jane, and that was the case on Sunday as he "tore through" a Chargers offensive line that was missing starting tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. As a result Bonitto spent much of his day in the LA backfield giving quarterback Justin Herbert fits, and both of his sacks forced punts as they came on thrid down. It was Bonitto's sixth game with at least two sacks since the beginning of the 2024 season.
Justin Strnad, ILB
Strnad took the role of tackling machine that's normally filled by linebacker Alex Singleton on Sunday, as he finished with a team-high total of eight tackles. That included one tackle for loss and several stuffed running plays, according to Jane.
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D.J. Jones, DT
Fellow lineman Zach Allen tends to get most of the publicity when good things come from the Broncos' interior linemen, but it was Jones' strip sack of Herbert that came close to clinching the game for Denver, even though Herbert was able to fall on the ball. Jones also had a pair of quarterback pressures, so he played a complete game to complement Allen's efforts inside.
Brandon Jones, S
The "other" Jones was also part of Denver's turnover party on Sunday, as he recovered a fumble caused by safety Talanoa Hufanga on the LA's first possession. He later picked off a Herbert pass to help protect the Broncos' three-point lead with just under four minutes left in the game, and he, too, is starting to show out with other secondary members sidelined for the moment.
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Evan Engram, TE
Engram was the lone offensive player to make Jane's list, as he led the team with four receptions for 55 yards, including a 34-yarder from quarterback Bo Nix that set up Denver's first touchdown. He's starting to step up to fill the gap left by new receiver Jaylen Waddle, who's been mostly missing other than his one big game against the Los Angeles Rams.
