Broncos HC Sean Payton Cements Jonathon Cooper as Starting OLB

"He’s someone the players look up to.”

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

Jonathon Cooper, the Denver Broncos' reigning sack leader, will continue to serve as a full-time outside linebacker for the club, head coach Sean Payton said Wednesday.

Payton lavished praise on Cooper's game following an impressive practice from the fourth-year pro.

“He’s physical. We felt like certainly he’s one of our starting edge players that brings a physicality to how he plays," he told reporters on Day 11 of training camp. "I think just the added reps and experience from last year will help him. He’s someone the players look up to.”

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The 239th overall pick of the 2021 draft, Cooper certainly has outkicked his NFL coverage, coming out of nowhere to cement himself among the most respected defenders in Denver's locker room. He was a consistent presence for his first two years but broke out last season with a team-high 8.5 quarterback takedowns across all 17 appearances.

And he was a downright dominant force Wednesday, "wrecking" a team period with two potential sacks on QB Bo Nix, The Athletic's Nick Kosmider reported.

Jonathon Cooper just more or less wrecked a team period. Had one clear sack and maybe another as he shot off the edge and chased Bo Nix.

— Nick Kosmider (@NickKosmider) August 7, 2024

A continuing theme for Cooper, who's keyed a ferocious Broncos pass rush that's hounded its offensive counterparts through the first two weeks of camp — on many occasions, overwhelmingly.

"It’s funny—there’s this pendulum that kind of swings throughout camp relative to the defensive line and the offensive line, but those guys are playing with good leverage," Payton said of Denver's front seven. "There’s a physicality that they’re playing with, so I’m looking forward to seeing it this Sunday as well.”

The Broncos are likely to play their starters for 15-20 snaps during Sunday's preseason opener against the Colts. Cooper will be out there among them, spearheading a group brimming with talent, and beginning the road toward a lofty collective goal:

Ten-plus sacks for each of them.

“I feel like just with everybody being healthy is key," Cooper said on Aug. 2. "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. It’s 10-plus sacks across the room is the goal. Nothing short. 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.”

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