After a promising rookie season that saw Jonah Elliss total 5 sacks, expectations were high in year two for the Broncos pass rusher. He was still a reserve pass rusher behind starters Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, but looked to repeat or improve on the numbers he had last season. Unfortunately, due to injuries, Elliss played in just 13 games for the Broncos and would only total 2.5 sacks.
In total, Elliss played 318 snaps on defense, which came out to be 38% of the defensive snaps last season,
and 254 special teams snaps, which came out to be 72% of the special snaps the Broncos played last season. During those 13 games, Elliss totaled 28 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, 5 QB hits, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass deflection.
Now, in year 3 with the Broncos, Elliss potentially has the opportunity to earn a starting role on the defensive side of the ball. Due to Jonathon Cooper’s off-the-field legal issues and potential suspension, Elliss could be the next man up to start alongside Nik Bonitto on the edge in the Broncos top ranked defense that has led the NFL in sacks in back-to-back years.
The team did flirt with moving Elliss inside to linebacker on a limited basis, but gave that up and decided that he is simply too good on the edge to move him. Also, according to reports, Elliss was a standout player during Broncos minicamp. He is known for his spin move and showed it off in practice during a team rep against starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey and got by him instantly for what would have been a quick sack on the quarterback.
Elliss has talent, but due to the depth at edge rusher, he has been a rotational edge rusher coming off the bench. However, with Cooper’s status up in the air, Elliss may get an opportunity to win the job and not look back.
Player Profile
Jonah Elliss | Edge Rusher | Denver Broncos
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 242 pounds
- Age: 23 years old
- Experience: 3rd NFL season
- 2025 stats: 28 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, 5 QB hits, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass deflection
Jonah Elliss’s outlook with the Denver Broncos
He’s going to be a big part of the Broncos’ pass rush.
With Jonathon Cooper dealing with legal issues, a likely suspension, and potentially even being cut by the team, Elliss has a chance to be the Broncos’ starting edge rusher alongside Nik Bonitto.
The former third-round pick has been a solid rotational piece off the bench and has flashed real potential at times, but now could see his role grow significantly. I would look for Elliss and second-year edge rusher Que Robinson to both get an opportunity to push for the starting job regardless of what happens with Cooper. Both young players have flashed potential during their short times in the league, and Cooper’s off-the-field issues have opened the door for both players to potentially pounce on this opportunity.
As for Elliss specifically, I would like to see a more consistent pass rush from him. His sack numbers dipped to just 2.5 last season, and while he still got after the quarterback when he played, he will need to up that sack total. The Broncos have led the NFL in sacks in back-to-back seasons; Cooper was good for 10 or so sacks a year, and the Broncos are a legitimate Super Bowl contender. If Elliss were to see an elevated role, he would need to up his game because the Broncos cannot afford to see a dip from their pass rush this season. They already lost John Franklin-Myers and are attempting to replace his production with young players, and may have to do the same with Cooper on the edge.
Before all the Cooper stuff went down, I would have said that Elliss would likely have a similar role to the one he has had in recent years. He has proven to be a solid off-the-bench rotational edge who can get after the quarterback and set the edge in the run game. Now, he may have an opportunity to be a starter for the Broncos, and we’ll see if he can take advantage of the situation and run away with the starting job.
Final Thoughts
The Cooper situation certainly clouds the Broncos’ edge rusher room a bit. We don’t know when he will be back, if he will be back, and he is likely facing a suspension regardless. In the meantime, it does open the door for Jonah Elliss and Que Robinson to push for a starting job on defense.
I am personally higher on Que Robinson’s potential right now, but Elliss is still a pretty darn good football player. He has had a good offseason per reports, is still only 23 years old, and could be on the verge of taking that next step in his career. He is a relentless pass rusher with a motor that does not quit and a nasty spin move that he can use at any moment.
The reality of the situation is that the Broncos are going to need both players as well as Dondrea Tillman and potentially even Drew Sanders or whoever else joins them in the edge rusher room. Having a strong pass rush is key to a Super Bowl team, and the Broncos are going to need their young guys to step up if they want to make a deep run in the postseason and win a Super Bowl.
