The Broncos are headed toward training camp with one issue looming larger than Bo Nix’s ankle: Jonathon Cooper’s uncertain status.
Yes, Nix remains a major talking point after breaking his ankle in Denver’s divisional-round win over the Buffalo Bills. That injury has already sparked plenty of debate about how sharp he’ll look when the season opens and how long it might take him to get back to full strength.
But the Broncos don’t appear rattled by that part of the equation. They expect him to bounce back, and the outside concern around his health is likely to keep hanging around until Week 1.
The more serious offseason question sits on the edge of the defense.
Cooper was arrested twice in one week last month on charges tied to a domestic incident, and that situation has left his future with the Broncos in doubt. At the very least, it could cost him time this season. Nick Kosmider of The Athletic pointed to that uncertainty as the team’s biggest offseason issue, writing:
"The Broncos excused Cooper from the team’s mandatory minicamp and coach Sean Payton said the 28-year-old was taking time 'to work on himself.' Cooper could be subject to discipline from the league; an NFL spokesman said the pass rusher’s legal situation is under review.
It remains to be seen whether Cooper will be with the team when it begins training camp in late July. The team likes its young depth at outside linebacker, but losing Cooper, who has 18.5 sacks the past two seasons, would be a significant development"
That’s the heart of it for Denver. The Broncos have built one of the league’s best defenses over the past two seasons, and the pass rush has been the engine. Cooper and Nik Bonitto have been a problem for opposing quarterbacks, and any break in that pairing would matter.
Denver does have options. The team likes what it has in Jonah Elliss, though it was not planning to hand him a starting job this season. That plan could shift depending on how Cooper’s situation unfolds.
So while the Broncos don’t carry a long list of glaring questions into the season, this one has the potential to punch a hole in a defense that has otherwise looked sturdy.
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The 2025 numbers back up the argument. The Broncos were stout against the run, disruptive in the pass rush and steady in pass protection, a combination that gives them a foundation few rivals can match. Even with J.K. Dobbins part of the conversation before his injury, the larger picture is the same for Denver: if the trenches stay dominant, the path to the top of the division gets a lot clearer. [Read more 🡒]