Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper Facing a Great Opportunity in a Contract Year

Jonathon Cooper seems to be on the ascent but whether he carries his momentum into 2024 will determine his Denver Broncos future.

Dec 10, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) moves out to pass against the defense of Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos made a remarkable find in the 2021 NFL draft, securing Ohio State rush linebacker Jonathon Cooper with the 239th pick. What made this selection particularly intriguing was the heart condition that Cooper had been managing.

This condition, which had deterred other teams and caused him to plummet in the draft, was not a deterrent for the Broncos. Denver took a calculated risk and it paid off. Cooper successfully addressed the issue through a medical procedure and emerged as one of the 2021 draft's hidden gems. 

As a rookie, Cooper showed up on special teams in the preseason and made the Broncos roster. His ability in the third phase continued, but he also made an impact on the defensive side of the ball.

Cooper ended the season with the fifth-most quarterback pressures on defense despite playing only 457 snaps. The only player under 550 snaps with more pressure was Von Miller before he was traded. However, Cooper was a liability against the run, leading to a limited snap count against the run. 

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In his second year, Cooper showed improvement against the run. While he wasn’t great, he wasn’t a liability either.

Cooper ended up seeing a more even split, with 190 snaps against the run and 199 as a pass rusher. It was an increase of 20 snaps against the run while a decrease of 66 as a pass rusher. Overall, he saw 14 fewer snaps on defense. 

The 2023 season was big for Cooper, though. He had to be a leader in the rush linebacker room for multiple weeks.

Cooper ended up playing 836 snaps on defense, the fifth-most on the entire defense and the most among the edge defender room. Cooper continued improving against the run and picked up 55 pressures, the second most on the team behind Zach Allen. 

While Cooper struggled to become the top guy in the room, he has proven himself an extremely capable No. 2 option. That will be crucial for him for this upcoming season as he aims for a big payday when he enters the final year of his rookie contract. Not only can he show continued improvement as a player, but the talent around him has improved some and should help him make a bigger impact. 

Bottom Line

The biggest key for Cooper is Baron Browning, who is also entering the final year of his deal. Browning has flashed the ability to be a top guy in the room but has struggled to stay on the field. If Browning can stay on the field and take attention away from Cooper, it can help the former seventh-rounder snap to snap, game to game, and even beyond this season. 

John Franklin-Myers, Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, and Nik Bonitto can also help Cooper be more consistent in his contract year. If Jones can elevate his play between Franklin-Myers and Allen, then the Broncos' defensive line should eat up a lot of space and blocks, giving Cooper easier opportunities off the edge. The same goes for Browning. 

The bad news is that the Broncos are unlikely to be able to retain both Browning and Cooper. So, there's a bit of a competition between them.

Which one can show they’re less replaceable to the Broncos? The good news is, if they both have a good year, they're in line for a big payday, whether in Denver or elsewhere, as pass rushers still come at a premium in the NFL.

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