New Ranking Shows Broncos Have One of NFL's Most Dangerous Pass-Rushing Duos

There's an argument that the Denver Broncos' pass-rushing duo should rank No. 1 in the NFL. Chad Jensen|

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 28: Denver Broncos Defensive Lineman Zach Allen (99) lines up for a play during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA football game between the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals on December 28, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. | Michael Allio / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

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In back-to-back seasons, the Denver Broncos led the NFL in sacks. With 68, Denver came tantalizingly close to breaking the 1984 Chicago Bears' all-time single-season sack record last season of 72.

If the Broncos could have finished a little bit stronger down the stretch, they probably would have caught the '84 Bears. It didn't help that Jonathon Cooper only totaled one sack over the final eight weeks of the season. Talk about a fall-off.

It might be too much to ask for the Broncos to lead the NFL in sacks for a third straight year, but the top two guys are back. Speaking of outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and defensive end Zach Allen, the Broncos' duo checked in at No. 3 in Sports Illustrated's top five pass-rushing tandems of 2026.

"A 3-4 defensive end, Allen might be the most underrated player in the NFL. It’s something that should be impossible, considering he played for a 14–3, top-seeded team last season. Yet he remains so, even with pacing the NFL over the past two seasons in quarterback hits with 47 and 40, respectively," SI's Matt Verderame wrote.

Allen may indeed still be underrated, especially by the fans in the Pro Bowl voting, but he's made the A.P.'s All-Pro team in each of the past two seasons, including the first team last year, so his cache has grown tremendously around the NFL. And at 28, he's still in his prime window.

Interior pressure is so valuable in the NFL. It flusters quarterbacks like nothing else, and often leads to the edge rushers capitalizing on the work of the inside guys.

In Bonitto's case, he's certainly benefited at times from Allen's interior pressure, happy to clean up a scrambling quarterback. But Bonitto creates plenty of his own pressure, which Allen has capitalized on himself. It's a symbiotic relationship with this inside/outside duo.

"On the outside, Bonitto earned a four-year, $106 million extension beginning this year by turning into one of the game’s elite pass rushers. Last season, he helped the Broncos lead the league with 68 sacks by having a team-high 14, his second consecutive season with at least 13.5. Only 26 and surrounded by pass rushers, including Allen and Jonathan Cooper, Bonitto’s best days might be ahead of him," Verderame wrote.

A 2022 second-round pick, Bonitto was a bit of a late bloomer, with his break-out season coming in Year 3. Entering Year 5 now, he's a bona fide Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

More Takeaways

Nik Bonitto and Josh Allen — =Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is sacked by Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) as he fumbles the ball. | Dustin Bradford / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

What the Broncos are hoping to see from Allen and Bonitto this year is a bigger focus on punching the ball out. Both players get to the quarterback so often, whether it's pressures, hits, or sacks, but the strips and forced fumbles haven't been there.

Bonitto did have a beautiful strip-sack on Josh Allen in the Broncos' 33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round, turning the corner and hitting him hard from the blind side to knock the ball out. It was one of four Allen turnovers on the day.

The Broncos now have a lot of money tied up in their front seven, with all projected starters playing on big extensions. Allen and Bonitto are on their second contracts with the club, and they're young enough that they could end up with a third.

With Cooper being arrested twice in June and facing serious criminal charges in Denver, it's unclear what the Broncos will ultimately decide to do with the troubled rush linebacker. The NFL is expected to hand down a suspension, regardless of what happens in court, so the Broncos have to start planning for life without Cooper for at least a little while.

That'll put more pressure on Bonitto and Allen, but not too much more. The Broncos are very deep at rush linebacker, with guys like Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, and Que Robinson champing at the bit to see the field.

The Takeaway

It'll be fun to see how the 2026 season plays out for the Broncos' defense. If Allen and Bonitto stay on their trajectory, perhaps they can climb higher in SI's pass-rush-duo rankings next offseason.

Myles Garrett and Byron Young of the Los Angeles Rams checked in at No. 1 in SI's rankings, followed by Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. of the Houston Texans at No. 2. Garrett and Young, as a duo, is all projection, as this will be their first year playing together.

I would have put Hunter and Anderson at the top, followed by Bonitto and Allen, simply based on their proven track record as tandems. But to each their own.

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Published 15 minutes ago

CHAD JENSEN

Chad Jensen is the Publisher of Denver Broncos On SI, the Founder of Mile High Huddle, and creator of the popular Mile High Huddle Podcast. Chad has been on the Denver Broncos beat since 2012 and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

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Future Hall of Famer ‘Seriously Contemplating Coming Out of Retirement’ for Los Angeles Rams

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Andrew Buller-RussTue, June 30, 2026 at 7:05 PM UTC·1 min read

Last year, the Los Angeles Rams had one of the NFL’s best teams, reaching as far as the NFC Conference Championship, but it wasn’t enough. Rams general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay know what a championship-caliber team looks like, and they didn’t think the Rams were there right now. So, they reacted by making the blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett.

By adding the Defensive Player of the Year onto a team that already featured the NFL’s reigning MVP, some might say the Rams have assembled a bit of a super team, and now others want to join in.

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Aaron Donald Truly Debating Re-Joining Rams

Los Angeles Rams — USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Almost from the moment the Rams made the move for Garrett, rumors about Aaron Donald coming out of retirement surfaced. Interestingly enough, neither Donald nor the Rams have done anything to squash those rumors. If anything, they’ve only poured more fuel on the fire. Now that flame is growing again.

Recently, Vincent Bonsignore of the New York Post reported that the retired 35-year-old defensive tackle is “seriously contemplating” coming out of retirement to join the Rams in 2026.

The eight-time first-team All-Pro defender hasn’t played a snap since the end of the 2023 season, when he earned his 10th trip to the Pro Bowl. It’s an incredible feat, considering he only played 10 seasons in the NFL.

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In other words, Donald went out at the top of his game, recording eight sacks in his final year. Who’s to say he doesn’t still have a bit left in the tank? Maybe it’s enough to help the Rams win another Super Bowl ring.

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Florida Panthers' New Goalie Tandem Of Markstrom And Schmid Is A Downgrade From The Bobrovsky Years

Florida Panthers' New Goalie Tandem Of Markstrom And Schmid Is A Downgrade From The Bobrovsky Years

The Hockey NewsTue, June 30, 2026 at 6:48 PM UTC

The Florida Panthers picked up goalies Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid this week. The moves likely spell the end in Florida for star goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Will Florida be better off with the new look in net?

Watch Live: House Hearing on the Devastation of Sanctuary Policies

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The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement holds a hearing on the devastating personal impacts Democrat sanctuary policies have on American citizens on Tuesday, June 30.

Angel Family members of Sheridan Gorman and Katie Abraham, who were killed by criminal illegal aliens, will testify before the committe.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin sat down for an exclusive interview with Breitbart Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle last week to detail the deportation efforts under President Donald Trump to make America safe from illegal alien crime.

Argentina Fans Return Man's Lost Wallet by Chanting His Name

WATCH — World Cup: Argentina Fans Return Man’s Lost Wallet by Chanting His Name

Title: Argentina Jordan WCup Soccer Image ID: 26179034567707 Article: Fans cheer before th — AP Photo/Jessica Tobias

Amy Furr30 Jun 2026

A man at a World Cup match in Dallas, Texas, got help from more than one person when he thought his wallet was gone forever amid fan excitement.

Crowds gathered on Saturday at AT&T Stadium to watch Argentina and Jordan face off, and everyone was excited about it, Upworthy reported Monday.

However, one man among the crowd lost his wallet, but he did not expect what happened next.

Argentina’s fans apparently found the billfold and took it upon themselves to return it to him. However, they did not know how to go about finding the man until the crowd full of excited soccer fans began jumping up and down while chanting the man’s name in hopes he would hear it and come to retrieve the lost item.

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Video footage taken at the scene showed the fans raising their arms in the air while chanting “Juan Manuel Montero!” One man in the crowd held up what looked like the wallet as he scanned the crowd, searching for its owner.

Moments later, another man approached him and gestured for the wallet while apparently handing it over to Montero. When the good deed was done, the crowd erupted into cheers yet again.

The incident happened as millions of people have traveled to the United States for the FIFA World Cup. Upon arrival, the visitors have enjoyed the nation’s culture, small towns, and food, according to KVIA.

Europeans have fallen in love with Buc-ee’s, Target, large portion sizes, and unlimited soda refills, per Breitbart News.

“We owe America a huge apology, because America is nothing like the media tells us. Everyone is so friendly — I’ve honestly had the best time,” a World Cup fan said.

Meanwhile, a report said the champions of the World Cup, which is set to conclude on July 19, will have the trophy presented to them by President Donald Trump.

“President Trump already has some experience in presenting soccer champions with their trophies. Last summer, he gave English Premier League team Chelsea their FIFA Club World Cup trophy and even hung out on stage for a celebration that went viral. So, that certainly makes it all the more believable that the president will elect to remain on stage,” according to Breitbart News.