Jonathon Cooper might be on a snap count if he plays in return from exempt list

Jonathon Cooper is eligible to play again, but the Denver Broncos may limit how much he plays, Sean Payton says

Oct 21, 2026, 3:07 PM

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Jonathon Cooper is eligible to play again, but the Denver Broncos may limit how much he plays.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said Wednesday that the outside linebacker’s return from the NFL’s Commissioner Exempt List comes down to getting reacclimated after six weeks away. He suggested Denver could manage Cooper’s workload if he is active Sunday at Arizona.

“It’s just getting acclimated, and then if that’s the case, what’s the pitch count?” Payton said. “All those things as you come back in.”

Payton said Cooper is “in good shape” and has been “able to be in the building training,” even though he could not practice while on the exempt list.

“This six weeks, and we’ve kind of gone through it already,” Payton said. “Just his steps and his journey. So we’re following that path.”

A healthy Cooper could make a big difference. Denver led the NFL in sacks in each of the past two seasons, and it wasn’t close. Through six games this season, the Broncos rank third. With Cooper out, Jonah Elliss and Que Robinson have rotated opposite Nik Bonitto. Elliss is now hurt and Payton made it sound like he’ll miss quite a bit of time. The trio still combined for 2.5 sacks in last Thursday’s 17-14 overtime win over Seattle.

Payton gave the defense credit for that win. “The turnovers were huge, the pressure and the hits on the QB, that has an effect,” he said.

Cooper, a 2021 seventh-round pick from Ohio State, has recorded at least eight sacks in each of the past three seasons. That includes a career-high 10.5 in 2024 and eight last season.

Asked how much the timing of Cooper’s return helps, Payton kept it short. “You never know how it’s going to unfold, but … that’s a positive relative to our team, and … we’ll see how this week goes,” he said.

The NFL removed Cooper from the exempt list last week after he missed the first six games. The league said its investigation under the Personal Conduct Policy is still ongoing and is not affected by the change in his roster status.

Cooper faces five charges, including felony second-degree assault by strangulation, from two arrests in June involving his girlfriend at the time. He pleaded not guilty to all charges in August. On Monday, a Douglas County judge set his trial for March 2-4, 2027, and ruled he may travel to road games.

In a social media post after his reinstatement, Cooper said he has “spent a lot of time working to better myself,” and added, “That work will continue.”

The Broncos (4-2) visit the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 25.