One of Denver’s most important defensive players headed to the locker room early in the second week of training camp, though head coach Sean Payton downplayed the potential severity.
On Tuesday, Broncos star outside linebacker Nik Bonitto was helped off the practice field by two members of Denver’s training staff after he went down in pain during an early inside run drill.
Bonitto was injured on the second play of the drill and was attempting to stretch his left leg with a trainer before getting to his feet and limping to the locker room with an obvious grimace.
Bonitto initially had his arms slung across trainers for balance, but eventually removed his arms and limped to the locker room under his own power.
As he was helped toward the Broncos’ facility, fellow starter Jonathon Cooper jogged over to check on Bonitto before returning to the drill.
The nature of Bonitto’s injury is currently unclear.
Payton declined to give a substantive update on his star edge rusher after practice ended, but said, “he’ll be fine.”
The 26-year-old Bonitto has turned himself into one of the most productive and disruptive edge rusher in the NFL, entering his fifth season in a Denver uniform. After a breakout second-team All-Pro season in 2024, recording 13.5 sacks, the Broncos inked Bonitto to a four-year contract extension worth up to $120 million.
Bonitto recorded a career-best 14 sacks and 28 quarterback hits last season, and finished fourth in the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year race. He is set to be paid $15.2 million in 2026.
The star pass-rusher was frequently banged up throughout 2025, despite playing in all of Denver’s games the past two seasons. After having a bone spur removed in his foot in last year’s preseason, Bonitto hurt his wrist early in 2025 and played the entire season with a club on his right arm.
