Former Ute Jonah Elliss showing steady improvement with the Denver Broncos

Englewood, Colo. • Count Denver Broncos rookie outside linebacker Jonah Elliss among fans of the NFL’s new kickoff rules.

Why? It offers the kind of close encounters a man of his position relishes.

“Honestly, I look at it as a pass rush because you’re right there with the guy,” said Elliss, the 21-year-old third-round pick out of Utah. “That’s how I address it. It’s just another pass-rush down to me.”

Viewed in that context, the opening kickoff of Sunday’s preseason victory over the Indianapolis Colts counted as another pass-rush win for Elliss in a growing collection of them during his first NFL training camp.

The 6-foot-2, 247-pound linebacker quickly zipped by Trevor Denbow, the 5-foot-10, 208-pound safety for the Colts. Anthony Gould, the 5-foot-8, 174-pound receiver who turned into the lead blocker when the kick went to teammate Dallis Flowers, wanted no part of chipping the speeding linebacker. His path clear, Elliss finished the play by tackling Flowers along the sideline.

“Special teams is how I see that I’m going to earn my spot on the team,” Elliss said. “Get on those special teams, that gets me on the (team) plane, and then I go from there, however coach (Sean Payton) sees fit. So I’m focused on special teams, doing my job on special teams, making plays on special teams so that they can trust me. That’s what special teams is, it’s trust. If the coach trusts you, it’s going to work out. I’m trying to earn that trust.”

If Sunday’s performance was any indication, Elliss is earning trust in ways that extend beyond his work on kickoff coverage.

He flashed defensively with a pressure late in the second quarter that forced an interception by Colts quarterback Sam Ehlinger. He was also credited with a sack in the third quarter when he chased quarterback Kedon Slovis across the field on third-and-14. He and Baron Browning brought pressure against Joe Flacco earlier in the game that led to an incompletion on third-and-7 and forced a field goal. In total, Elliss had four pressures in nine pass-rush snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Jonah Elliss with the pressure, Keidron Smith with the INT.

Former Ute Jonah Elliss showing steady improvement with the Denver Broncos

Former Ute Jonah Elliss showing steady improvement with the Denver Broncos

Former Ute Jonah Elliss showing steady improvement with the Denver Broncos

Former Ute Jonah Elliss showing steady improvement with the Denver Broncos

Former Ute Jonah Elliss showing steady improvement with the Denver Broncos