On Sunday evening Denver Broncos effortlessly defeated the Green Bay Packers27-2, in the second preseason game. Rookie Bo Nix had a outstanding performance as starting quarterback, and that’s what most fans and analysts will focus on, but there’s another Bronco who made his presence felt: rush linebacker Jonah Elliss.
Elliss recorded three tackles, a strip sack and a fumble recovery, creating tremendous pressure up the middle and prompting Packers quarterback Sean Clifford to throw the ball early and put it in the hands of Broncos safety Keidron Smith, who had an interception. It was a truly eye-opening night for Broncos country – a fan base that has watched a miserable defensive line for the past few seasons.
Following his impressive performance, the third-round rookie from Utah sent a message to the NFL about the Broncos’ prospects for 2024. Along with the other new additions, Elliss believes the Broncos can be dangerous in 2024.
“Yeah, definitely. I think we have a lot of positive energy in this locker room,” Elliss said. “I really haven’t heard anyone talk negatively here. I think our culture and our camaraderie is on point right now, and I think we can keep that going. We’re going to be a really good team.”
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You have to love that confidence. And it will only continue to grow for Elliss personally as he gets used to the speed and power of the NFL.
“The game is definitely starting to slow down,” Elliss said. “We practice very hard. When you go out and practice, the game slows down, honestly. Kudos to the coaching staff for building up so much excitement in practice. Then when we get to the game, it’s actually slower.”
Elliss has already made progress in practice and is now translating that into primetime. The Broncos’ defensive line has played very well and with Elliss’ emergence on the perimeter, this unit could become even more dominant.
Elliss has no problem with his opponents underestimating his strength and ability to convert speed into power.
“People think I’m 230 pounds, but I’m actually only about 250 pounds,” Elliss said after the game. “I think it’s my speed that surprises people. They think I’m just a speed rusher. It was pretty fun to get going like that.”
The combination of speed and power on the outfield has been lacking from Denver’s linebackers for some time. Starter Baron Browning fits a similar mold but has been inconsistent due to injuries.
Bolstering Denver’s edge room with a young, explosive playmaker like Elliss could make it easier to part ways with Browning or fellow starter Jonathon Cooper, both of whom are in the final year of their respective contracts. If Elliss continues to dominate in the regular season, he could get significantly more snaps and potentially be in the starting lineup later on.
The Broncos fullback may have found the push he needed in Elliss.
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