The Denver Broncos created one of the NFL’s great defenses in 2024 by finding elite value where there previously was none.
Players like defensive end Zach Allen and NFL edge rusher Nik Bonitto earning NFL All-Pro honors for the first time. Cornerback Riley Moss established himself as a viable option at starting cornerback. Defensive tackle D.J. Jones played his way into a 3-year, $39 million free agent contract.
While those were some of the headliners on a defense that led the NFL with 63.0 sacks, there were more in their ranks who had breakout seasons in 2024, just without as much fanfare.
One of those players was edge rusher Dondrea Tillman, a 26-year-old rookie who had 5.0 sacks in just 12 games in 2024.
As an exclusive rights free agent, Tillman returns to the Broncos on a bargain bin, 1-year, $960,000 contract. That’s incredible value when you consider Chicago Bears edge rusher Montez Sweat had 5.5 sacks in 16 games while being paid $21 million — the same year Tillman made $741,666.
Tillman spent his first 3 seasons of professional football with the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL and UFL.
“(Tillman) had workouts with the Ravens and Falcons but didn’t get his NFL break until the Broncos signed him last June,” Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams wrote on April 4. “Tillman did not make the active roster out of training camp but signed with the team’s practice squad. He ended up on the active roster and totaled 23 tackles, five tackles for loss and five sacks in 12 games in a rotational role.”
Long and Winding Road to NFL Roster
Tillman, 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds, was a 3-time All-PSAC selection at NCAA Division II Indiana (Pa.) with 174 tackles, 30 sacks, 10 pass deflections and 7 forced fumbles in 48 career games.
Tillman was out of football for almost 2 years before the Stallions drafted Tillman in the third round of the USFL supplemental draft in 2022. He won 3 championships in 3 seasons — consecutive USFL titles in 2022 and 2023 and a UFL title in 2024, when he had 33 tackles and 4.0 sacks.
Tillman Makes Franchise History in NFL Debut
Tillman was put on the Broncos active roster in Week 3 of the regular season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and had 2.0 sacks in a 27-6 win. Tillman became the first Denver player to record 2.0 sacks in his NFL debut.
“Just the fourth undrafted player since 1990 with at least two sacks in his first career game,” the Broncos wrote on their official X account.
“We weren’t going to just let the other three play 60 snaps or 50 snaps,” Denver head coach Sean Payton told USA Today after Tillman’s debut. “A guy like that was coming up, he’s got to be playing in the kicking game and then getting snaps on defense. I was pleased with his effort. He’s strong. I’ve mentioned earlier in the week, we’ve seen a lot from him. I was excited to see him take advantage of the opportunity.”
NFL teams are desperate to add competent edge rushers. If Tillman can put together a similar season in 2025 to what he did in 2024, he could set himself up for a major payday in the 2026 free agency cycle.
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