Sean Payton spent the last two days of March at the NFL Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Denver Broncos head coach shared his brutally honest takes about the Broncos’ free agency approach, improving the run game, Bo Nix’s injury timeline, and a position change for linebacker Jonah Elliss.
However, the new position change for the 24-year-old linebacker has stirred up some concerns over Payton’s decision.
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Nik Bonitto Comments On Jonah Elliss Moving To Inside Linebacker With Denver Broncos
Jonah Elliss was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third-round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Elliss appeared in 13 games in 2025, tallying only 2.5 sacks and 28 tackles.
Sean Payton revealed that he will be moving Elliss from outside linebacker to inside, given the depth at the OLB position.
“You’re going to see Elliss take some snaps inside,” Payton said. “That is something that we have discussed relative to our depth at the edge. Then we will see where that goes during the draft.”
Sean Payton is right, the Broncos are heavy when it comes to the outside linebacker position. Starting linebackers Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto took majority of the snaps, creating a log-jam between Dondrea Tillman, Que Robinson, and Jonah Elliss.
Elliss had a snap count of 352 in 2025, opposed to starting linebackers Cooper’s 682 and Bonitto’s 684.
All-pro linebacker Nik Bonitto has came to comment on the discourse surrounding Payton’s decision to move Jonah Elliss.
Bonitto defended his teammate on X regarding a post by Super Bowl 50 champion and former Broncos offensive lineman, Tyler Polumbus.
Polumbus shared that he was not a ‘fan’ of Elliss’ move, claiming that once a player starts to rotate positions their career begins to “die out.”
Nik Bonitto has been a prominent leader on the Broncos’ defense since getting drafted in 2022. His breakout season in 2024 led to a career high in sacks with 13.5, that was topped the following season with 14.
Despite the little success that comes from a player rotating between positions, Bonitto believes that Jonah Elliss will thrive in his new role.
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Sean Payton Backs Up Decision To Move Jonah Elliss By Highlighting Zach Braun and Fred Warner
The Broncos have no recent success stories when it comes to a player shifting positions. Chad Jensen at Sports Illustrated highlights Sean Payton’s decision to move Drew Sanders after his rookie season:
‘The Broncos initially tried him at inside linebacker as a rookie, then moved him to outside linebacker — then he got hurt,” Jensen wrote.
In Payton’s press conference, he emphasizes the goal is to give Elliss more snaps moving forward and highlight his skillset.
“It’s a position where we are wanting—I drafted his brother [Saints LB Kaden Elliss]. The same thing happened with [Eagles LB] Zack Baun, only we couldn’t get Zack Baun on the field. Now, Philadelphia managed to.”
Payton also highlighted San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner’s skill set that allowed him to thrive as a middle linebacker:
“Sometimes, that inside backer position—one of the best in our league at San Francisco in [49ers LB] Fred Warner, you saw him play more out in space, outside backer,” Payton said. “Sometimes you have to look at the skill set, and then project where you think it can go, and your depth on the edge that allows you to do something like that.”
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