Getty Jonathon Cooper #0 of the Denver Broncos.
The Denver Broncos’ defense has been a story of the 2024 season. The unit ranks second in yards and third in points allowed through Thursday Night Football in Week 5.
All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II headlines Denver’s defense. But it also features Jonathon Cooper. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox listed Cooper as the Broncos’ “biggest hidden gem” in an article published on October 4.
Cooper, 26, leads the Broncos with 3.0 sacks.
“Even though he became a full-time starter last season, casual fans probably aren’t familiar with Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper. The 2021 seventh-round draft pick has spent his entire NFL career with a franchise that hasn’t been in the spotlight for particularly positive reasons, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox wrote.
“Cooper is on the cusp of being a star in that defense. He recorded 8.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a defensive touchdown last season, and he’s off to another fast start in 2024.”
TD saving rush
Cooper did not record a sack in the win over the Jets. And he earned the seventh-highest grade on the defense (fifth among players with double-digit snaps) from Pro Football Focus. But Cooper made his presence felt, drawing praise from ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky.
“Jonathan Cooper was a game wrecker yesterday,” Orlovsky posted on X on September 3.
Jonathon Cooper Could Be Heading for Pro Bowl Honors
GettyJonathon Cooper #0 of the Denver Broncos.
Cooper is on pace to set a new career-high with 12.5 sacks. His strong start comes in the final year of his four-year, $3.6 million contract and could see him recognized as one of the league’s best in 2024 when the season ends.
“If the Broncos do become a factor in the AFC, and their defense leads the way, expect Cooper to earn some serious Pro Bowl consideration,” Knox wrote.
A Pro Bowl trip could significantly boost Cooper’s bargaining power.
“Cooper, who will be a free agent at season’s end and should be a priority to keep, is a good player who represents great value,” The Denver Post’s Troy Renck wrote on October 2. “A projected third-round pick in 2021, he fell to the seventh after a pre-draft medical exam revealed a recurrence of atrial fibrillation, something he had been diagnosed with in high school eight years prior. Multiple surgeries followed.”
Cooper leads the Broncos with 16.0 sacks since 2021, 4.0 more than the departed Dre’Mont Jones and 4.5 more than current teammate Nik Bonitto, per Stathead.
Cooper has missed four games since entering the NFL.
Jonathon Cooper Breaking Out for Broncos in Contract Year
GettyJonathon Cooper #0 of the Denver Broncos.
“If Cooper continues to play at his current level, a three-year, $56M deal with $35M guaranteed would be reasonable,” Denver Broncos on SI’s Bob Morris wrote on October 2. “If the Broncos get a deal done during the season, they could consider an option bonus for 2025 to lower his cap number that year, but it’s not absolutely necessary.”
Over The Cap projects the Broncos to have $71.8 million in cap space in 2025. They have several notable players hitting free agency. Most notable among them are starting left tackle Garett Bolles and starting running back Javonte Williams.
Bolles is aging and Williams plays a position that features heavy turnover. The Broncos should have enough space to sign Cooper to a deal similar to Morris’ example.
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Former 7th-Round Draft Pick Named Broncos’ ‘Biggest Hidden Gem’