ENGLEWOOD – Perhaps next season, it will be Nik Bonitto taking his fellow Broncos outside linebackers to dinner.
Bonitto said Jonathon Cooper, who earlier this month signed a four-year, $60 million contract extension, has treated all the outside linebackers on the team to dinner twice since getting that extension. They went to fancy steakhouses Del Frisco’s and Ruth’s Chris.
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As far as Cooper is concerned, Bonitto is going to cash in big when it’s time for an extension. Bonitto, who has a team-high seven sacks, is in his third year and becomes eligible after this season.
“Nik’s going to kill it,’’ Cooper told The Denver Gazette said after a practice at Broncos Park. “He’s going to get a huge contract,’’
Bonitto doesn’t deny that after seeing Cooper sign his deal, he would like to be the next Broncos outside linebacker to get a hefty extension.
“Yeah, it’ll definitely be cool to think about,’’ he said. “But I just try to take it one game at a time and to keep working and keep getting better.’’
As for the dinners Cooper has been taking the linebackers to, Bonitto has been appreciative. Others on hand have been Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman, who are on the active roster, Andrew Farmer II, on the practice squad, and Drew Sanders, on the physically unable to perform list.
“He took us for two straight weeks,’’ Bonitto said. “But he said he’s done now and has got to wait until the money actually hits.”
Cooper begs to differ with what Bonitto said and expects to continue to treat his teammates at times. Cooper said the restaurant bills were about $700 each.
“Those are my guys,’’ said Cooper, who is in his fourth year and is the most seasoned of Denver’s outside linebackers. “As I become more of a vet and taking the young guys out for dinner and everything, kind of building a bond is what you’re supposed to do and I’m just trying to do that. … It’s just about camaraderie and building that brotherhood.”
Then again, there has been some jawing back and forth between Bonitto and Cooper, who is second on the Broncos with 6 ½ sacks. Each of the two expects to lead the team in that category at the end of the season.
“When he gets one, he just pushes me to get another one,’’ Bonitto said. “He’s going to keep going. We’re going to keep pushing each other, so it’s going to be a good healthy competition.’’
The two are good friends. Bonitto says Cooper is a “monster” when it comes to pass rushing.
But Bonitto, who is making a base salary of $1.23 million this season and is on the books to earn $1.5 million in 2025, does have the team lead. Broncos coach Sean Payton has lauded the progress he has made since being a second-round pick in 2022 out of Oklahoma. He had 1 ½ sacks as a rookie and eight last season.
“He’s certainly made the leap,’’ Payton said. “He’s getting more snaps. He’s getting more pass rush snaps. … He’s a guy that plays with real good bend. He can bend and torque his body. He has a lot in the tank relative to his pass rush, and what he wants to do and how to set somebody up. He’s really helped us.”
Bonitto still needs to work on defending the run but said he has made strides in that area.
“I feel it’s pretty good this year,’’ he said. “There’s been improvement. Obviously, I still got room to grow in that area. But I’m definitely taking steps to where I want to be.’’
The more steps Bonitto takes, the bigger his next contract could be. Cooper said he “would like” to see Bonitto sign an extension to remain with the Broncos and have the two form a longtime tandem.
Then Bonitto could be the one footing the bill for celebratory contract extension dinners.
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