Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper Reveals 2024 Goal After Leading Team in Sacks

Jonathon Cooper shared his goals for 2024 and it included the Denver Broncos rush linebacker room.

August 19, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) during halftime against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Jonathon Cooper, a Denver Broncos seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, broke out last season with a team-high 8.5 sacks after starting all 17 games. Cooper now enters a contract year and could be a candidate for an extension, and although he made an impact last season, the fourth-year edge rusher believes he still has much to prove.

“I’ll always have that chip on my shoulder," Cooper said after Friday's practice. "I feel like the way you look at it is every year is a new year. You can’t go off of last year. Even though things happened last year that went well, you can always improve and always get better."

Despite coming off a career-best season, Cooper's mindset hasn't changed from last year. He has entered 2024 with the approach about how he can keep improving.

"I feel like I’m always trying to do that," he said. "I’m never settling. I don’t even think about last year like that. I’m thinking about how I can become an even better player for my team and just overall. So that chip on my shoulder always stays there.”

Cooper has had every reason to keep that mindset. After falling to the 239th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, when the Broncos selected him, the Ohio State graduate could have easily accepted his fate.

And yet, the edge rusher has found ways to make his mark. Cooper started five games as a rookie, then nine games his second year, before claiming a starting job in his third season. He's generated 45 pressures and 13 sacks in three seasons.

But Cooper's attitude is he can do more than that. No Broncos player last season had double-digit sacks — a point that Cooper addressed Friday.

“I feel like just with everybody being healthy is key," he said. "Everybody being healthy, us just developing as players, getting more comfortable under the system, rushing together and having similar guys out there together. We always want to do better."

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Cooper noted he's not the only who has his eyes on getting at least 10 sacks.

"It’s 10-plus sacks across the room is the goal. Nothing short," he said. "That’s why I’m saying last year is just last year. I feel like the number for 8.5 [sacks] as the sacks leader is too low. We have to bring that up.”

If Cooper does surpass the 10-sack mark, that could play into his favor when it comes time to discuss an extension. Though that wasn't brought up Friday, it may be in the back of Cooper's mind.

But having a player who continues to play with a chip on his shoulder is a good thing. It means the player may be happy but he won't be satisfied — that he can always do better and must figure out how he can.

The more Cooper does that, the more the Broncos' defense will benefit — and the more likely the front office will decide to extend him.

---

Follow Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!