Jonathon Cooper is still on the roster for the Denver Broncos, but his situation has turned uncertain this offseason. With legal matters ahead, the franchise may want to move on from him, but it won't be that easy.

“A month ago, Jonathon Cooper's place with the Denver Broncos wasn't in doubt, but we're not living in that world anymore,” Bob Morris wrote on Si.com on Sunday.

According to Si.com, the $12M contract also complicates this. His 2026 salary was turned into a signing bonus earlier for cap relief, which now limits how easily the Broncos can move on.

A larger portion of his money is largely tied to guarantees, so releasing or trading him isn't a simple decision.

A few weeks ago, things looked stable, with Cooper having recorded 8 or more sacks for a third consecutive season. But now, things have changed. Cooper was also not part of the mandatory minicamp, which added to the attention around his status.

“Cooper's 2026 base salary was restructured into a signing bonus near the start of the 2026 league year to give the Broncos additional cap room,” Morris wrote on Sunday.

Head coach Sean Payton and the front office are not under pressure to rush a decision right now, mainly because any early move could have financial consequences if details change later.

“It's not a good situation to be in, but we shouldn't expect an immediate outcome from the Broncos,” Morris wrote on Sunday.

For now, Cooper's status remains unresolved, and Denver is staying patient while everything plays out step by step.

Why is Cooper’s future with the Broncos uncertain?

Jonathon Cooper's status with the Denver Broncos has become a major talking point after the outside linebacker was excused from mandatory minicamp.

Linebacker Jonathon Cooper is dealing with serious legal and football-related challenges following two apprehensions in June 2026 connected to a domestic incident.

Head coach Sean Payton addressed the situation, noting that the team is still working through the process while staying in contact with the league and local authorities.

"He's taking this time, obviously, he's got to work on himself,'' Payton said after Tuesday’s practice. "The club is very much in tuned to the league office, local authorities here, and we've had several meetings.

He was first taken into custody on June 4 in Colorado following an incident involving his girlfriend. Later that same week, he faced additional charges after a second interaction with authorities connected to the case.

"Clearly from an ownership standpoint, head coach, organizationally, there's a bar that we have, and an expectation that we have, that's very high," Payton said.

Cooper's case is now moving through the legal system, with a key hearing set for July 24.

For now, Cooper's future remains uncertain as the Broncos wait for clarity heading into training camp.

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Written by

Debanjali Rakshit

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote