The Denver Broncos saw outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper get involved in some legal troubles this offseason, and it was only a matter of time before some form of NFL discipline kicked in. While there hasn't been an active suspension handed down yet, one huge step toward that did take place on Sunday.
The Broncos could be bracing for some sort of suspension based on Cooper's actions this offseason involving a former partner. On Sunday, news broke that he was placed on the commissioner's exempt list.
As of now, Cooper is not allowed to practice or play in games as long as he's on this list, and it's likely only a matter of time before a formal suspension is handed down.
Denver Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper placed on exempt list, suspension could also come
Cooper, entering his age-28 season, has not missed a start the past three seasons, and during that time, he's racked up 27 sacks, 27 tackles for loss, and 49 quarterback hits.
The NFL is placing Broncos OLB Jonathan Cooper on the commissioner’s exempt list, sources tell @ringer @netflixsports.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 30, 2026
Cooper, who is facing a felony assault charge and other charges, will be paid while on the list but won’t be allowed to practice or play. pic.twitter.com/J8cD2Bl476
With a suspension likely coming, Cooper won't suit up for all 17 regular season games for the Broncos for the first time since the 2022 season, his second in the league. With this news now being official, the Broncos are likely going to primarily rely on third-year EDGE Jonah Elliss and second-year EDGE Que Robinson to pick up the pieces while Cooper serves his time for his off-field actions.
That's really the main story here - Cooper messed up in the offseason, got into some legal troubles, and will now likely be suspended for multiple games during the 2026 season. The Broncos were obviously disappointed by this development, but it happened.
The team does have a deep group of EDGE players, so the team's performance should still be quite strong, as Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen, two of the league's best QB hunters, are still in the mix.
The Broncos first six games look like this:
Week 1 @ Kansas City
Week 2 vs. Jacksonville
Week 3 vs. Los Angeles (N)
Week 4 @ San Francisco
Week 5 @ Los Angeles (A)
Week 6 vs. Seattle
Atlanta Falcons EDGE James Pearce Jr got hit with an eight-game suspension for a domestic dispute with his former partner in the offseason, so that could be the number for Cooper, but given the overall legality of this and how sensitive this situation is, there is no use in trying to guess how long Cooper is suspended.
Frankly, he should be based on his actions.
Add us as a preferred source on Google