‘Important to what we’re doing’: How Jonathon Cooper emerged

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Many times when Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper has gotten a chance, he’s made an impression.

It began back in the 2021 preseason. Then a rookie seventh-round pick, Cooper was no lock to make the 53-player roster. A dominant 2-sack, forced-fumble performance in a preseason win at Seattle helped change that. And while his regular-season work hasn’t seen that level of explosion on a consistent basis, he’s held his own when asked to step in, making 14 starts over the last two seasons. He’s trustworthy against the run and has hit quarterbacks 14 times in regular-season play. And he’s also played nearly two-thirds of the special-teams snaps in that time.

Players like Cooper are essential to a team. They’re the glue that holds things together — sometimes as everything in their midst crumbles. It’s an especially apt description for Cooper, who found himself in an extensive role last year following Randy Gregory’s knee injury, the trade of Bradley Chubb and Baron Browning’s midseason hip issue last year.

So, several months later, Gregory is healthy. But Browning is now recovering from meniscus surgery. Meanwhile, 2022 second-round pick Nik Bonitto is still finding his way — especially in setting the edge. Veteran free-agent Frank Clark won’t arrive until training camp; he’ll need time to get up to speed.

Meanwhile, there’s Cooper — now wearing jersey number zero — making plays in practice.

“He’s definitely one of the guys that’s come along the most,” inside linebacker Josey Jewell said. “I’m not saying that he was bad last year by any means — he was good. He just didn’t get as many snaps. But now, you can tell just by going out there every day, he’s bringing the juice and he’s done a good job.”

Cooper, too, is pleased with is progress.

“I know for me personally, I just really wanted to improve from Year Two to Year Three,” he said, “and I took every single day very seriously, just figuring out the little things that I could work on to get better and be a better player.”

Specifically?

“Just better at cleaning up my pass rushing, cleaning up setting the edge, being stronger, feeling more comfortable in my weight and with this defense and scheme,” Cooper said.

The third-year veteran also said he “shed a little bit” of weight.

“I feel faster. I still feel explosive,” he added.

That said, speed tends to dominate offseason work — which is low-contact with no pads. When the topic of Cooper’s play arose to Sean Payton, he began by noting the limitations of OTAs.

“It’s difficult [to evaluate] because those are the groups that aren’t in pads, but you certainly see the get-off, the explosion and the experience,” Payton said. “I think when we get into training camp, you then get a better feel …

“… It becomes a little clearer, but he’s important to what we’re doing.”

And in addition to Cooper’s work on defense, he has been a core special-teamer for the past two seasons. Rarely has that phase been prioritized to the degree it is under Payton. Leaders will emerge in that phase — especially in the wake of longtime special-teams captain Brandon McManus being released. It would be no surprise if Cooper fills that void and grows into a leadership role.

“That’s the goal. I’ve always wanted to be a captain for the Denver Broncos,” Cooper said. “I take pride in [leadership]. I take pride in how I work and how I come here and being there for my teammates. Being a leader just comes naturally, and I just want to make sure I stay strong in that and be there for my teammates whenever they need me.”

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