Back in 2022, Nik Bonitto flew across the country on pre-draft visits and told evaluators of his goals in the NFL. All-Pros, all that’s great, he said.

“I wanted to be a guy,” Bonitto told The Denver Post, “that could be a gold-jacket guy.”

A year later, he sat in front of new Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph riddled with self-doubt. He doubted Joseph’s affirmation, as he told Bonitto then in 2023, that he could be a double-digit sack guy in the NFL. He questioned whether he could even play after finishing with 1.5 sacks as a rookie. All he needed all long, defensive line coach Jamar Cain told The Post in early September, was confidence.

It pours out of Bonitto, now, as a three-year journey takes him to places no other player in this league is touching.

“I just feel like I’m a more confident player this year,” Bonitto told reporters after Monday night’s 28-3 win over the Bengals at Empower Field. “I’m seeing things a lot faster. I’m trusting myself in a lot of the things that I’m doing within the defense. And it’s rewarding for me, right now.”

Bonitto got in quarterback Jake Browning’s face six times against the Bengals, and still sits atop the NFL leaderboard with 27 QB pressures. His pressure rate through four games (31.4%) is on pace to be the highest by any player since NFL’s Next Gen Stats began tracking pressure in 2018. And after racking up another 1.5 sacks against the Bengals, the outside linebacker now sits at 4.5 through four games, nearly halfway to a second straight double-digit sack season.

In the locker room, fellow pass-rusher extraordinaire Jonathon Cooper smacked Bonitto’s shoulders and bellowed his praises to a gaggle of reporters.

“Hey, everybody,” Cooper declared. “This is Nik Bonitto, best pass-rusher in the NFL.”

Bonitto smiled sheepishly. He did not, however, deny this opinion.

“Ah, something like that,” Bonitto replied when asked if he agreed with Cooper. “I wouldn’t say it.”

The individual pieces of his game have fused together quickly since Joseph took over in Denver in 2023 and Bonitto entered Year 2. His speed rush is still his calling card, with a 10-yard acceleration that trainer Rich Pruett says rivals that of receiver and defensive-back clients. In Week 3, on a burst so ridiculous it went viral, Bonitto snapped off the line so quickly that Chargers left tackle Joe Alt simply never even had a chance to get his hands in front of him.

That play ended in a sack for defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers, as Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert had to step up directly into interior pressure. The potential of that play was always there for Bonitto. But the execution itself came from wisdom.

Bonitto said he’s made a habit of dissecting the cadences of opposing quarterbacks on film and studying them throughout the week. On that snap to Herbert, the play-clock was running down, Bonitto recalled. He took a chance.

“It’s like, if I go offside – (expletive) it,” Bonitto smiled.

On Monday, Bonitto introduced another refined piece of his game. Late in the third quarter, he burst off the edge against Bengals right tackle Amarius Mims and gave him a one-two stutter, setting Mims’ momentum back as he anticipated Bonitto trying to speed around him.

Bonitto, though, spent much of his summer with pass-rush trainer Javon Gopie working on counters. On disguising combination moves behind an initial setup. And Bonitto planted suddenly, spinning back inside and leaving Mims in the dust to sack Browning.

“He wants to create hell,” cornerback Pat Surtain II said, “for opposing tackles.”

None of them has had an answer for him yet this season, as Bonitto continues to pull new gadgets out of his bag. And reigning Defensive Player of the Year Surtain sees a player “very motivated” to chase true greatness.

“I know when there’s a critical third down and we’re all sending pressure,” Surtain said, “I know he’s gon’ get back there.”

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