Bonitto tabbed DPOY, Bolles among top tackles in ESPN quarter-season awards

Nik Bonitto has looked like an Olympic sprinter racing out of the blocks through the first four weeks of the NFL season. Whether it’s been against one of the best tackles in the NFL in Joe Alt, or your everyday, middle-of-the-road pass protector, he has flat-out dominated them in each of the Denver Broncos’ first four games.

Bonitto’s inhuman efforts have helped the Broncos defense lead the league in sacks (15) through the first four games. Individually, Bonitto leads the league in pressures (27) and quick pressures (15), and the 31.4% pressure rate he’s posted in 86 opportunities blows most other superstars around the league out of the water. The only category he’s not in first place in is total sacks, as his 4.5 are just a touch behind Brian Burns’ 5.0.

Sean Payton emphasized in the offseason how Bonitto’s bend is his best asset, and it has been a nightmare for opposing linemen to deal with so far. His average get-off when the ball is snapped is 0.72 seconds, and combined with his freakishly athletic ability to bend like Von Miller, the opposing linemen have no chance.

Nik Bonitto

27 Pressures 🥇
4.5 Sacks 🥈
31.4% QB Pressure% 🥇
0.72 Get-Off 🥈
14 Quick QBP’s (sub 3 seconds) 🥇

The best Edge Rusher in the NFL so far this season, period. https://t.co/PN9Pk0WT9w pic.twitter.com/lLvf6geUpo

— NFL University (@NFL_University) October 2, 2025

That 0.72-second get-off is the third-best mark in the league. The man on the opposite side of Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, is first, at 0.69 seconds.

In ESPN’s quarter-season awards, Bonitto’s efforts were recognized, as he was tabbed as the league’s best defensive player through four weeks, ahead of Cleveland’s Myles Garrett and Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons. The rankings said that he is “head and shoulders above everyone else” through September, a notion that is hard to argue with.

Bonitto wan’t the only Bronco to make an appearance on the list. Left tackle Garett Bolles was ranked third for the Protector of the Year Award, behind Buffalo’s Dion Dawkins and Detroit’s Penei Sewell. He’s allowed a pressure on just 4.6% of his pass blocking reps, the best mark in the league amongst tackles, and hasn’t allowed a singular pressure or sack in less than three seconds.

Bolles had a strong test this week, as he was tasked with handling one of the best pass rushers in the league in Trey Hendrickson for the Bengals. When the game was all said and done, the only time Hendrickson’s name was mentioned on the broadcast was when he went to the sidelines with an injury, as he finished the game with four total tackles and no sacks.

Garett Bolles vs Trey Hendrickson

This is how you handle an inside move.

I don’t think he will try to go inside again …. pic.twitter.com/FLEH2Q2qp4

— Paul Alexander (@CoachPaulAlex) September 30, 2025

The rest of the offensive line has been solid in protecting Bo Nix, as they have been one of, if not the highest graded unit across the league in each of the first four weeks. Bolles arguably has the most important role of the five given that he’s protecting Bo Nix’s blindside, but the likes of Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz and Mike McGlinchey have all been great through the first quarter of the year.

Bonitto and Bolles have been two of the best players wearing the orange and blue through the first quarter of the year. If the Broncos want to take advantage of an easier stretch of games coming up after Sunday’s contest against Philadelphia, they’ll have to keep their level of play up to lead their units to victory.

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