Jonathon Cooper Charts Bold New Path for Broncos’ OLB Corps

Setting a high bar within every position group can drive a team like the Denver Broncos forward. It's part and parcel of a young team like the Broncos converting potential into the hard currency of production. And winning. 

For the first time in a decade, the 2025 Broncos are harboring actual championship ambitions. So when you hear outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper declare that his pass-rushing group can be the NFL's best, he makes a compelling case. 

“I would say be even more dominant. I don’t see any reason for us not to be the most dominant unit in the league," Cooper said on Friday. "There’s nothing holding us back. There’s nothing stopping us. Just even taking it up another level. I don’t think any of us have reached our potential, and we’re just going to keep working until we are the best in the league, honestly.” 

Dedicating themselves to becoming the NFL's best will take everyone buying into the hard grind. Nobody lucks into becoming the elite unit in this league, so the process is being embraced, if not led, by Cooper. 

Head coach Sean Payton feels that Cooper has the essential makeup of a player who will do what's required to become the best version of himself for his teammates. 

“It’s extremely important to him. I think he’s one of our tough competitors," Payton said of Cooper. "There’s something to him relative to the importance of playing hard and with good technique. He’s very coachable. I would say he’s one of our team leaders. I think sometimes that comes in the form of, ‘Follow me on how I work.’ Sometimes it can be vocal. He’s a diligent worker.” 

Being anointed by his head coach as one of the Broncos' core leaders will be a boost to the burgeoning confidence of Cooper, especially now that he knows his future in Denver is secure. The Broncos extended him last fall, keeping him in the Mile High City through 2028.

Becoming a leader whom other players gravitate toward for inspiration is something that the former Ohio State Buckeye is embracing with gusto. 

“I mean, it means more from a big standpoint, just from Broncos Country, my teammates, the coaches. It just means that much more to me, just because I see how much it means to everybody else," Cooper said of Payton's praise.

Given the youthful composition of this edge-rushing room, Cooper is aware of the depth in numbers the Broncos now have, and it could put some flesh on the bones. Cooper is extremely high on the explosive chops that the younger guys like rookie fourth-rounder Que Robinson, Jonah Elliss, and Dondrea Tillman bring to the mix. 

“It’s awesome. Que is coming on for sure. Definitely a big talent for us. I think he’s going to be a great addition to the team," Cooper said. "Jonah is coming along for sure. He’s battling back from that injury, but he’s doing really well."

When Cooper arrived at Tillman in his outlook on the Broncos' rush linebacker corps, he waxed poetic.

"And Dondrea Tillman, he’s out there hooping every single day. If you really just sit back and watch him, he’s really crafting and really working," Cooper said. "We know we haven’t really proven what we want to yet and earn our respect.” 

While the sack-hungry group intends to hunt as a pack, Cooper and All-Pro Nik Bonitto will be relied upon to produce at a high level. Bonnito led the team with 13.5 sacks last season, while Cooper was right behind him with 10.5, combining for the most sacks as a duo since Von Miller and Bradley Chubb in 2018.

Cooper is impressed with how Bonitto isn't resting on his laurels coming off his decorated third season. 

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“Yes, just seeing him work. He's been working every day. He wants to be the best that he can be, and that's something that we all carry with ourselves," Cooper said of Bonitto. "But Nik's a great guy. I mean, he's becoming an even better player. He knows he's not just satisfied with what he did last year. He knows he can become better. So the work's just getting started.”