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By Anne Erickson
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Jonah Elliss is giving the Denver Broncos something every coach wants during training camp, and that's options.
The former 2024 draft pick has put together such an impressive offseason that head coach Sean Payton has openly discussed the possibility of using him at off-ball linebacker instead of keeping him just on the edge. That's not something you hear every day.
Moving a pass rusher to a different position isn't a decision teams make lightly, but it says a lot about how much confidence the Broncos have in Elliss. They want to find more ways to get him on the field, even if it means asking him to do a little more.
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Part of that comes down to Denver's roster. The Broncos have plenty of talent at edge rusher, while linebacker remains one of the thinner spots on the defense. If Elliss can handle both responsibilities, it gives the coaching staff another tool and a lot more flexibility when putting together defensive packages.
It also speaks to how far he's come.
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When Denver drafted Elliss in 2024, the expectation was that he'd develop into a productive edge defender over time. Two years later, he's showing enough growth that the Broncos are comfortable expanding his role instead of limiting it. That's a pretty good sign for a young player.
Payton even compared Elliss' potential role to Zack Baun earlier this offseason, a comparison that naturally caught made people look. Whether Elliss follows that same path remains to be seen, but the fact that his coach is mentioning him in that kind of conversation says plenty about the progress he's made.
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Training camp is full of stories that fade once the regular season begins. This one feels and seems a little different.
The Broncos already know Elliss can rush the passer. Now they're finding out he may be capable of doing even more.
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