The Denver Broncos got great news this week when the NFL commissioner removed edge rusher Jonathon Cooper from the exempt list. It means the $60 million star can play in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Here’s the thing — someone may have already risen up and taken Cooper’s place.
In the 6 games Cooper missed after a pair of arrests this summer that led to felony domestic violence charges, 2nd-year edge rusher Que Robinson has emerged as a star in the making, with Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox calling him the “Biggest Surprise” on Denver’s roster on their way to a rollercoaster 4-2 start.
“The Denver Broncos’ defense seemed to regress early in the season,” Knox wrote on October 17. “However, it has started to rebound during the team’s 4-2 start. 2025 fourth-round pick Quandarrius ‘Que’ Robinson has been a big part of the unit’s return to form. He has also seen a surprising jump in production in his second season. The Alabama product was largely buried on the depth chart as a rookie and saw limited action in six games last season. Robinson played just 34 percent of the defensive snaps last season and finished with 12 tackles and a half-sack. He has played 47 percent of the snaps through five games this season and has already recorded 23 tackles, three tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, and two sacks.”
Que Robinson Getting Better Every Game
Robinson, 6-foot-4 and 253 pounds, just seems to get better every game.
As a rookie, Robinson played only 6 regular-season games but came alive in the playoffs—including a dominant performance in an AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots.
Through the first six games of the 2026 season, Robinson is putting together a stat line that shows a truly complete player — 23 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 3 TFL, 4 QB hits, 1 pass deflection, and 1 forced fumble.
“Don’t look now, but Que Robinson is heating up,” DNVR’s Zac Stevens wrote on his official X account on September 25. “He has a TFL in 4 of his past 5 games and had a sack last week.”
In a Week 6 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, Robinson’s pressure on quarterback Sam Darnold forced the game-sealing interception by Kris Abrams-Draine.
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Broncos GM Praised Robinson Following Playoff Loss
Broncos general manager George Paton praised Robinson as the player with the “Most Upside” on Denver’s roster out of its young talent after the loss to the Patriots ended last season.
Robinson had 3 tackles, 1.0 sack, and 1 TFL in a 10-7 loss to the Patriots.
“The rookie poised for the biggest potential Year 2 jump might be Robinson,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote in February. “Paton said the 21-year-old edge rusher might ‘have the most upside of anyone in our draft class,’ because of his potential as a pass rusher as well as a high-value special teams player. After a regular season in which he had 12 tackles and a half-sack, Robinson had a sack of Drake Maye in the AFC title game.”
Broncos’ Talented Young Pass Rusher Called ‘Biggest Surprise’ on Roster