It’s Jonathon Cooper, not Frank Clark, atop the depth chart

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — When the Broncos signed Frank Clark in June, it seemed like only a matter of time before he established himself on the first team. And according to the unofficial depth chart issued in the preseason, that is exactly where the veteran edge rusher stood.

But by Wednesday, the depth chart offered by the team looked different.

It had Jonathon Cooper on the top line, and Clark on the second.

But to Sean Payton, that’s no big deal. Frankly, being a starter, as opposed to a reserve on the depth chart, is no big deal in his eyes.

“All of those guys are going to play,” Payton said. “Sunday will be the first time we introduce an offense or defense. The first play of the game could be one of 25 personnel groupings, so tell me who the starter is.

“What I try to do is one week the fullback will go out and the next week it might be a third receiver. I might introduce 12 on offense. The same thing begins to take place on defense. It’s a little different than it was 25 years ago.”

So, it doesn’t mean much. And yet, it was a change made from the preseason. And Cooper, by virtue of a training camp in which he made plays day after day, earned the role.

“I would say he’s been consistent. He’s explosive, and I think he’s been very physical,” Payton said.

And Cooper also adapted and honed his skills to make a third-year leap — particularly in the pass-rush aspect of his game.

“Just in the combination of my pass-rushing ability,” he said. “I feel like I’ve always played the run decent. I got better with that, better with my hands, and overall just growing into myself and becoming a better football player. They say you come into your third year and it slows down a little bit. I feel like it slowed down for me.

”With Cooper, you know exactly what you’re getting and that’s a good trait — his strengths, his weaknesses, how he helps us in the kicking game. He’s physical,” Payton said. “Those are things that have served him well.”

But even on the No. 2 line, Clark is important in that edge-rushing room. With 58.5 career regular-season sacks, he has more than the career tallies of the rest of the Broncos’ front-seven complement as a collective (54.5). And Clark is even better in the postseason, of course; he has 13.5 sacks in 17 career playoff games, including 10.5 sacks in 12 postseason contests with the Chiefs.

“Frank is an amazing — and obviously accomplished pass rusher,” Cooper said. “So, everything we can learn from him is just improving into our game.”

But indeed, this is Cooper’s moment. And he’s ready for it.

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