After giving contract extensions to guard Quinn Meinerz, left tackle Garett Bolles, cornerback Pat Surtain and outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper last year, the Denver Broncos have given extensions to wide receiver Courtland Sutton and defensive lineman Zach Allen this summer. Broncos general manager George Paton has done a great job retaining the team’s top talents, and more deals could be on the way.
Speaking after practice on Saturday, Denver coach Sean Payton hinted that outside linebacker Nik Bonitto is next in line for a potential extension. Payton noted that Bonitto will have to weigh his options of potentially signing a deal now or waiting to test the open market in the spring.
“You understand it,” Payton said of Bonitto’s situation, via the Denver Post‘s Luca Evans. “When you sign with a year left remaining, well, there’s a cost of that a little bit. You gain another year of security from injury. When you sign as a free agent, that number is probably bigger. And so, those are the decisions that weigh into the player and the organization’s mind.”
Bonitto, 25, is coming off a career year in which he totaled 13.5 sacks and scored two defensive touchdowns. Before that, he had 9.5 sacks through his first two seasons in the NFL.
Bonitto previously indicated that his agent started negotiations with the Broncos before training camp, so the two sides have been discussing a potential extension. With the edge market continuing to rise, Bonitto knows he’s in a good position, and he has faith a deal will get done. It might just be a matter of time.
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