How the Broncos' rookies are preparing for their first NFL action

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Damarri Mathis spent Thursday night like the rest of us: watching the Buffalo Bills take on the Los Angeles Rams.

He had a personal connection, though: Dane Jackson, his former teammate at Pitt, was playing for the Bills. Halfway through the first quarter, while the Rams were driving into Buffalo territory, Jackson picked off Matt Stafford. A few plays later, the Bills took a 10-0 lead.

“That’s my dog,” Mathis said.

Mathis has been in touch with Jackson all offseason, getting tips about life in the NFL. Those points of contact are valuable for rookies as they try to acclimate to the NFL. They have a locker room full of teammates ready to give hints and coaches ready to answer questions, but the outside support system is important, too.

For Nik Bonitto, the support system is deep. Six of his Oklahoma teammates were drafted this season (including Broncos safety Dellarin Turner-Yell) and a few more signed to practice squads. Bonitto, the 64th overall pick, was the first one to be chosen.

The Oklahoma crew has a group text that has been active since well before draft day.

“We’re always talking about things that are happening over there, things that are happening here,” Bonitto said.

Bonitto doesn’t know exactly what his role on Monday will look like. He could be in for every pass-rush down or it could just be in special packages. That information will probably come on gameday or maybe the day before.

Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero during his weekly media availability didn’t give any hints about how Bonitto will be used, though he did praise what he saw in the final preseason game.

“He definitely had a really good game,” Every said. “The last one, he really was able to get a good pass rush. I think it’s just going to take time for any rookie to be able to pick it up and feel good about what he’s trying to do with the new system. We definitely have seen progress and that’s all we can ask for.”

Bonitto is ready to make his debut but isn’t impatient.

“I feel like that’s more for the older guys, just because they haven’t really played the preseason and stuff like that,” Bonitto said. “It’s still gonna be exciting though as far as a Monday Night game and all the stuff that goes along with it.”

Mathis is ready too. Watching his teammate in primetime made him ready for a primetime game of his own.

He’s also been in touch with quarterback Kenny Pickett, who is now a Pittsburgh Steeler. He tuned in to a couple of the Steelers’ preseason games. For the past few years, Mathis battled Pickett (a 2021 Heisman Trophy Finalist) and Jordan Addison (the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner) in practice at Pitt.

“We used to get after it,” Mathis said.

But unlike in college, where Pitt works on one-on-ones every day, the Broncos rarely run the drill. Part of the reason is the scheme. Instead of working on sticking to an assigned opponent, Mathis has spent more time sitting back off the ball and reading the quarterback’s drop or cadence to figure out when the ball is going to come out, and what he needs to be prepared for.

Still battling against Russell Wilson and the Broncos’ stable of receivers doesn’t hurt.

“It’s kind of slowed the game down,” Mathis said. “Those are top-of-the-game players.”

Mathis is still ironing out the details of the Broncos’ defense. He thinks he can play just a little bit faster once he figures everything out.

Regardless, he’s ready to play some ball. He thinks the team is ready too.

“This my first time being in the league, so it feels good and I know not every team is like this,” Mathis said. “It’s just got a really good vibe.”