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Broncos roster: Jonathon Cooper (No. 0) looking to build on career year
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- Broncos roster: Jonathon Cooper (No. 0) looking to build on career year
Broncos Wire's 90-man offseason roster series begins today with a look at fifth-year outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper , No. 0.
Before the Broncos: Cooper (6-4, 257 pounds) played college football at Ohio State, earning second-team All-American recognition in 2020. In five years with the Buckeyes, Cooper totaled 76 tackles and 10 sacks in 46 games. The Broncos used a seventh-round pick to select the edge defender in the 2021 NFL draft.
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Broncos tenure: Cooper was originally drafted as a developmental, rotational pass rusher, but injuries forced him into a starting role in his rookie season. After starting five games and totaling 2.5 sacks in 2021, Cooper was asked to start nine games in 2022, which was a two-sack campaign. The outside linebacker then took a big leap in his third season, recording 8.5 sacks as a 17-game starter.
Cooper was rewarded with a four-year, $54 million contract extension last fall, and he's coming off a 10.5-sack season in 2024. The 27-year-old pass rusher is now entering the prime of his career.
Chances to make the 53-man roster: Lock. Cooper will make the team, and he's set to start across from Nik Bonitto in 2025 as one of the team's top two outside linebackers.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Jonathon Cooper looking to build on career year
