HEADLINES

Jonathon Cooper

Broncos Extend OLB Jonathon Cooper

November 5th, 2024 at 5:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 5: With $6MM in escalators comprising this deal, it checks in at $54MM in base value. The Broncos upped their offer Friday, per Klis, leading to Cooper’s commitment. Sack-based incentives cover the $6MM. Cooper’s AAV now checks in 21st among edge rushers.

The deal includes a $4MM guaranteed roster bonus in 2025; Cooper’s base salary for next year ($5.64MM) is also guaranteed at signing. Cooper’s $11.49MM 2026 base salary will vest a year out, with Klis adding it converts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2025 league year. The Broncos guaranteed Cooper’s $12.99MM 2027 base for injury; $3MM of that becomes locked in on Day 5 of the ’27 league year.

NOVEMBER 4: Minutes after the Broncos traded Baron Browning to the Cardinals, a report displaying their commitment to another edge rusher emerged. Jonathon Cooper, who had been Browning’s teammate since the 2021 draftees’ Ohio State days, is now signed beyond this season.

The Broncos agreed to terms on an extension with Cooper over the weekend, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. It is a four-year deal for the former seventh-round pick, who has emerged as a starter for the Broncos. This agreement will tie Cooper to the team through the 2028 season.

Agreed to Saturday, this contract will include $60MM in total value, 9News’ Mike Klis reports, adding that $33MM will be guaranteed. While this represents a nice payday for the late-round draftee, it also profiles as middle-class EDGE money based on where the market has gone. Cooper’s $15MM-per-year deal checks in tied for 19th in edge rusher AAV, matching Haason Reddick and Uchenna Nwosu.

Although Broncos GM George Paton has been rightfully criticized for his biggest moves — the Russell Wilson trade and extension and the Nathaniel Hackett hire — the veteran NFL exec assembled a quality first draft class in charge. Cooper is now the third member of that class to be paid, following the deals for third-rounder Quinn Meinerz and first-rounder Patrick Surtain.

Cooper, 26, took a longer road to NFL success due to being the No. 239 overall pick three years ago. A heart condition contributed to the fall, but a 2021 procedure put that behind the ex-Buckeye. Cooper started five games as a rookie and nine in 2022, with the Broncos freeing up a spot alongside Browning by trading Bradley Chubb at the deadline. Cooper has started every Broncos game over the past two seasons, finishing with 8.5 sacks last season and starting this one with 5.5. Cooper produced 13 QB hits in 17 games last year; he already has 11 through nine games this season.

The Broncos rank behind only the Giants in sacks this season, with 31; Nik Bonitto leads the way with six for Vance Joseph‘s defense. Although the Broncos took a step back via their blowout loss to the Ravens, the 5-4 team remains a defense-powered outfit. Denver now has Cooper committed and Bonitto signed to rookie terms through next season. It will be interesting to see how the Cooper pact affects Bonitto, who will likely aim higher as a younger player who joins his teammate in being on pace for a double-digit sack season.

It is interesting that Cooper will tie himself to Denver for four more seasons at a rate outside the top 15 at his position. The EDGE market also figures to feature a few more $30MM-AAV deals come 2025, when the likes of Micah Parsons, T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett figure to come up in extension rumors. Cooper is obviously not in that class, but he certainly could have pursued better terms had he hit free agency after his most productive season. Rather than bet on himself, Cooper secured significant money now.

This also marks a more cost-effective extension for the Broncos, who had traded both Chubb and Von Miller during Paton’s tenure. It cost the Broncos a defender-record sum to extend Miller in 2016, and Chubb ended up signing for then-top-five EDGE money in Miami shortly after that 2022 trade. Cooper represented one of the pieces Paton retooled around. With Browning now out of the picture, the Broncos will anchor their OLB corps around the former Day 3 draftee while likely determining a long-term plan for Bonitto.

How Will Broncos Proceed With Crowded OLB Corps?

June 8th, 2022 at 3:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Visions of a long-term Von Miller–Bradley Chubb edge partnership mostly proved fleeting for the Broncos, who saw injuries sideline at least one member of this tandem for most of its three-plus-season tenure. The 2018 season, when Miller and his then-rookie sidekick combined for 26.5 sacks, turned into a mirage.

The Broncos’ 2022 contingent of edge rushers presents intrigue, even if it is the first in 12 years not to include the best pass rusher in franchise history. Denver’s Miller trade allowed the team to finish stockpiling its cast of pass rushers, bringing second- and third-round 2022 picks, but with only Randy Gregory locked in as a long-term starter (and given Gregory’s history, that classification might be premature), how the team proceeds with this crew will be interesting ahead of what promises to be a high-profile division race.

Gregory signed a five-year, $70MM deal in March, backing out of a Cowboys agreement at the last minute due to contract language. Suspended four times as a pro, Gregory showed considerable promise during his final Dallas season. If that form is a true indicator of the former second-rounder’s form, the Broncos having him signed to a $14MM-per-year deal will age well as the salary cap’s rise has pushed edge rusher salaries toward the $30MM-AAV mark. Gregory, whose drug suspensions could give him a “young 29” presence, carries boom-or-bust potential. From a roster-building standpoint, more questions surround his supporting cast.

Chubb made the Pro Bowl in 2020, despite accumulating just 7.5 sacks and one forced fumble, and racked up 12 sacks as a rookie. But the two ankle surgeries he underwent last year brought limitations and questions about his future in Denver. (Chubb also sustained an ACL tear in 2019.) George Paton identified the former top-five pick as a core player, and while those comments came before the ankle trouble limited Chubb to seven games in a zero-sack season, the second-year GM expressed Chubb confidence again this year. Paton did extend 2018 second-round pick Courtland Sutton, whom he also called a core talent last year, after an ACL tear. Chubb, 26 later this month, will enter a high-stakes contract year, with Paton reorganizing the team’s edge-rushing stable after the February vote of confidence.

An extension path may still exist for Chubb. Gregory’s AAV checks in just 22nd among edge defenders, and the Chargers and Raiders each have two edges earning north of $17MM per year. But that prospect is murkier than it was last year at this time. Had Chubb not been a first-round pick, he may already be signed to a lucrative deal. The fifth-year option allowed the Broncos to wait, and the team will have cheaper options to flank Gregory beyond 2022 — when Russell Wilson will be playing on a top-market contract.

Denver rosters Malik Reed, a former UDFA who has seen extensive run (34 starts) due to Chubb and Miller’s injuries, and used its top draft choice on Oklahoma edge Nik Bonitto (64th overall). The team also has ex-Ohio State teammates Jonathon Cooper and Baron Browning. Cooper fell to Round 7 because of a heart issue (one that did not keep him out of games last season) and flashed a bit after the Miller trade. The Broncos curiously moved Browning from inside linebacker — where they are much thinner. A 2021 third-rounder, Browning started nine games inside as a rookie.

It will be difficult for the team to roster all six, and its recent penchant for UDFA edge success (Reed, Shaq Barrett) creates a path for Christopher Allen, a 2020 Alabama contributor who missed last season due to a foot injury. The Broncos gave Allen $180K to sign after the draft.

Also in a contract year, Reed has registered 13 sacks over the past two seasons. Though lesser-known than Chubb, Reed profiles as an extension candidate himself. The Broncos would probably stand to save by extending Reed over Chubb, who also looms as a 2023 franchise tag option. Chubb staying healthy this season could create a clear value gap between the two. Denver also has defensive end starter Dre’Mont Jones going into a walk year, creating an unsettled post-2022 mix beyond Gregory and Bonitto.

With Paton-era OLB investments behind Reed, would the Broncos consider trading the frequent fill-in starter ahead of his contract year? They only gave Reed the low-end RFA tender ($2.4MM) in March. That price and Reed’s recent production could be attractive for teams with thinner edge cadres. Chubb is tied to a $12.7MM option salary. A mix of Gregory, Chubb and Reed would limit Bonitto’s rookie-year time. But injuries could obviously change that.

The Broncos faced a surplus situation at cornerback last year but refrained from dealing into it, despite teams showing interest. Chubb’s injury history could prompt Denver to carry an extra outside linebacker on its 53-man roster. Browning’s ability to play on the inside would seemingly represent insurance for an iffy group of inside ‘backers as well. But carrying six edges is on the high end for 3-4 teams.

However the Broncos decide to proceed here, their moving parts on the edge should be a situation to monitor as the revitalized team attempts to compete against high-powered offenses. How that effort goes, particularly from the John Elway-era holdover rushers, will determine how the franchise chooses to complement Gregory beyond 2022.

Broncos’ Jonathon Cooper To Miss Rest Of Offseason Program

May 28th, 2022 at 10:08am CST by Sam Robinson

Despite being a seventh-round pick, Jonathon Cooper showed some promise as a Broncos edge rusher as a rookie. The team, however, restocked its outside linebacker corps this offseason, potentially dropping the Ohio State product lower in the pecking order.

Cooper also will miss the bulk of the Broncos’ offseason program. A ring finger tendon injury sustained this week will result in a surgery that will sideline the off-the-bench pass rusher for the remainder of Denver’s OTAs/minicamp stretch, Mike Klis of 9News notes. He is expected to be ready for training camp.

This is familiar territory for last year’s No. 239 overall pick. Cooper missed the Broncos’ OTAs and minicamp last year because of a heart surgery, an issue that caused him to fall toward the bottom of the draft. That issue did not result in any missed games for the ex-Buckeye, who recorded two sacks in the Broncos’ upset win over the Cowboys.

Cooper, who finished his rookie slate with seven quarterback hits and a fumble recovery, was a special teams regular and took on a bigger role after Von Miller‘s midseason injury and subsequent trade to the Rams. Cooper missing time this offseason may be more significant — due to the team’s additions and reshuffling at the edge positions.

Denver signed Randy Gregory to lead its edge corps and used its top draft choice (No. 64 overall) on Oklahoma’s Nik Bonitto. The Broncos also are trying ex-Cooper Ohio State teammate Baron Browning as an outside ‘backer, moving him from an inside linebacker position that features a thinner cast. Contract-year rushers Bradley Chubb, whose extended absence last season opened the door for Cooper and others, and Malik Reed also reside in this crowded position group. Christopher Allen, who recorded six sacks for Alabama’s 2020 national championship team before missing 2021 with a Lisfranc issue, also signed with the Broncos as a UDFA. Allen is not yet at full speed, per Klis, as he continues to recover from that injury.

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/4/22-1/5/22

January 5th, 2022 at 11:32pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Tuesday and Wednesday’s activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Jared Cook, LB Damon Lloyd (remains on IR)

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

AFC Notes: Tebow, Dolphins, Broncos, Jets

May 7th, 2021 at 10:29pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

A Tim Tebow to the Jaguars deal is starting to look more and more likely. The news of Tebow trying to come out of retirement as a tight end came completely out of left field, but Jacksonville is seemingly taking it quite seriously. Head coach Urban Meyer acknowledged at the time that the team would explore signing Tebow in the near future, and now ownership is endorsing the prospect. “Tim has definitely come in and worked out,” Tony Khan, son of Jags owner Shad Khan, told BleacherReport.com, via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com. “So beyond that, I can’t say too much, but Tim has come in and worked out as a tight end. That’s not a position that we’ve seen him play, but it’s a position that he’s been practicing at with us.”

“Urban really believes he can help us, and I think it makes a lot of sense. And it’s a position where we need to get better.” That last sentence is the money quote that makes it sound like the Jaguars signing Tebow is a matter of when, not if. Obviously Tebow played for Meyer at Florida, and if the new head coach and shot caller wants him back as a reserve tight end, the front office isn’t going to stand in the way. Jacksonville is thin at the position right now, and crazier things have happened. Assuming he gets signed, it’ll be entertaining if nothing else.

Here’s more from the AFC:

  • Some teams, like the Packers, have announced their initial phase of offseason workouts would remain virtual and that players with workout bonuses could receive them by logging their attendance at the virtual sessions. The Dolphins won’t be one of those teams. Miami will only be giving players with workout bonuses their money if they are in the building later this month, a source told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. That doesn’t mean it’s a coaching decision, as Jackson writes that one agent told him Dolphins head coach Brian Flores “has been respectful of the players’ position on the NFLPA issue and hasn’t tried to pressure them.” The NFLPA, of course, is pushing teams to proceed with entirely virtual offseason voluntary workouts. Jackson notes that there are “nearly a dozen” Dolphins players with workout bonuses who will now face a dilemma. The Dolphins were one of the many teams whose players issued a statement through the NFLPA to “stand in solidarity” with players skipping the workouts. Receivers DeVante Parker, Albert Wilson, and Jakeem Grant have workout bonuses of $100K, $75K, and $50K respectively on the line.
  • The Broncos recently drafted Ohio State linebacker Jonathon Cooper in the seventh-round, who played in college with a heart condition. Now, Cooper is having a procedure to correct the issue, Mike Klis of Denver 9 News writes. While it’s hard to read ‘heart procedure’ and not get a little alarmed, thankfully Klis writes that it’s a “minimally invasive” operation that will only sidelined him for a few weeks. Cooper won’t be able to participate in the team’s rookie minicamp, which is a tough blow for any seventh-rounder, but he is “expected to be ready for the start of training camp, if not sooner.” Here’s to hoping everything goes smoothly with the ablation procedure.
  • Speaking of offseason surgeries, the Jets’ Quinnen Williams just had one too. The third overall pick of the 2019 draft had surgery for a broken bone in his foot on Thursday, according to Joey Chandler of NJ.com. Fortunately, new Jets coach Robert Saleh said he believes Williams will be back for training camp. “It could have been worse, because those types of injuries are injuries that it is just something that eventually was going to happen so for it to happen now so they can get him fixed and be ready for training camp rather than it happening in training camp and now he’s missing half the season,” Saleh said optimistically. Williams made major strides last season, and showed flashes of the dominant player the Jets hoped they were getting in 2019. Hopefully this injury doesn’t stall any of that progress.