Jamar Cain told Nik Bonitto to relax. Sitting at Bonitto’s Florida home during the second round of the 2022 draft, the 6-foot-3 edge rusher was anxious. More than 24 hours into the draft, he still hadn’t heard his name called.

The Broncos’ three first-team selections are the franchise’s most since 2016. Denver’s five total AP All-Pro selections are also the most in the same season in nearly 20 years, when six players earned the honor following the Broncos’ 1996 season.

Three different Denver Broncos players will in the Pro Bowl Games: cornerback Pat Surtain II, wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. and linebacker Nik Bonitto. Surtain and Mims have earned Pro Bowl honors before. This is Bonitto's first time receiving the NFL honor. He's one of 24 players who have been chosen for the first time.

Denver's defense allowed 70 points in Week 3 last season. Now it's one of the NFL's best units, helping the Broncos to their first playoff game since 2015.

The Broncos set the franchise record for most sacks in a season after adding seven last week at Cincinnati. They added to their total Sunday with the help of outside linebackers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper — fitting given the success both players have had this season.

Watch as outside linebacker Nik Bonitto reacts to being named a first-time Pro Bowler and discusses his accomplishments this season.

The biggest snubs were Allen, Bolles and Meinerz. Voting was complete by the time Allen had his monster game last Saturday night against the Cincinnati Bengals when he had 3.5 sacks and six hits on quarterback Joe Burrow. Allen has ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in nearly every statistical category among defensive tackles this year.

Patrick Mahomes is sitting out the Kansas City Chiefs' Week 18 game at Denver, so it'll be backup Carson Wentz who gets to face the NFL's best sack masters.

For the first time since 2015, the Denver Broncos are going to the playoffs. The Sean Payton-coached team beat the Kansas City Chiefs 38-0 on Sunday to clinch the AFC’s 7-seed (Taylor was not in attendance). And how did they celebrate? By playing a song named after actress Sydney Sweeney, naturally.

The Denver Broncos are back in the playoffs. For the first time since winning Super Bowl 50, the Broncos (10-7) will be in the postseason after punching their playoff ticket thanks to a 38-0 thumping of the Chiefs,

The Broncos will need 25-year-old Nik Bonitto to do Von Miller things to shock the NFL world and upset the heavily favored Bills. The Broncos need to turn Bonitto loose and aggressively force Allen into coughing up the football to have any shot at winning.