Broncos Lose Top Edge Rusher Jonathan Cooper to the Commissioner's Exempt List

The NFL has officially placed Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathan Cooper on the commissioner's exempt list, which is the league's fancy administrative way of saying a player is getting paid to stay as far away from the facility as possible.

According to Tom Pelissero, Cooper is facing a felony assault charge alongside a handful of other charges stemming from two separate summer arrests. He will still collect his game checks, but he is barred from practicing or stepping on the field for the foreseeable future.

"Tom Pelissero reported that Cooper will be paid while on the list but won't be allowed to practice or play."

This is a massive hit to a Denver defense that relies heavily on Cooper getting to the quarterback. For context, Cooper has racked up 27 sacks over the last three seasons without missing a single game. You do not just replace that kind of durability, especially when the guy attached to it is currently playing on a four-year, $60 million contract he signed in 2024.

The Broncos actually played Cooper heavily in their 34-6 preseason finale win over the Minnesota Vikings, which in hindsight was the coaching staff squeezing every last drop out of their star edge rusher before the league office inevitably dropped the hammer. It is a uniquely football phenomenon to give a guy heavy exhibition snaps knowing he is about to be legally mandated to watch Week 1 from his couch.

From a roster and betting perspective, Denver's defensive front just got significantly softer. The sportsbooks will absolutely adjust the Broncos' defensive props now that Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman are being asked to slide into the starting lineup and replicate elite production.

Cooper has an arraignment hearing scheduled for Monday, and he has reportedly been attending in-patient mental health treatment over the last few months. While the legal process plays out, the Broncos have to figure out how to generate a pass rush with their most reliable weapon officially on ice.