The Denver Broncos were able to get their sixth win of the season on Sunday, smashing the Atlanta Falcons 38-6. It's turning into a fruitful year for the Broncos and several stars are starting to take shape.

One of those stars is on Vance Joseph's defense, which collectively has been one of the better units in all of football. That has been largely because the Broncos are getting after the quarterback consistently and No. 15 Nik Bonitto has been terrific.

Bonitto had another two sacks against Atlanta on Sunday, giving him nine on the season. In 11 games this year, Bonitto has at least one sack in eight games, the best mark in the league.

Bonitto was taken in the second round of the 2022 draft out of Oklahoma. But after a quiet rookie season, many Broncos fans felt the team had wasted a pick. General manager George Paton seemed to know what he had when the pick was made.

Bonitto had eight sacks last season but that seemed to fly under the radar. Could he duplicate that performance? Bonitto has answered that with a resounding yes this season. It's not just the fact that he has gotten nine sacks, but he gets pressure consistently and his sacks are timely. Bonitto makes plays when the Broncos need to have one.

Many fans were upset when the Broncos traded Baron Browning for a sixth-round pick ahead of the trade deadline. The growth of Bonitto as a premier pass-rusher was one of the main reasons the team chose to make that move.

Nik Bonitto among league leaders in sacks

With his two sacks on Sunday, Bonitto now has nine for the season. That ties him with Dexter Lawrence of the New York Giants for second-most in the league. Only Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals has more.

Bonitto should be in serious consideration for an invitation to the Pro Bowl. That is a far cry from what many fans thought they would be talking about following his rookie season.

The Broncos have been a downtrodden franchise for nearly a decade. Sometimes the process of getting back to the level of success you once enjoyed requires a great deal of patience. Things are beginning to pay off in Denver.