The Denver Broncos rewarded rush linebacker Jonathon Cooper's sheer availability, consistent production, and burgeoning leadership skills with a lucrative $60 million contract extension over the weekend. Cooper has started in 35 of the last 36 games, providing 18.5 quarterback sacks over the time frame — the kind of player who undoubtedly fits the Sean Payton profile almost perfectly.
By trading away the frequently injured Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals, a positive message has been sent loud and clear to the Broncos' locker room. Indeed, defensive end Zach Allen appreciated that the Broncos front office gave Cooper the raise he deserved.
"He really is truly, like, the ultimate team player, willing to do whatever helps. You see him on special teams, too, so it's awesome to see guys like that get rewarded," Allen said via Andrew Mason of Denver Sports. "And I think it sends a really good message around the locker room, showing guys, if you do it the right way, you'll get rewarded. And we have a really good culture here, so, we have a lot of guys like that."
When it comes down to brass tacks, Cooper has already provided the Broncos with massive value for a former seventh-round pick from Ohio State. This season, the 26-year-old has racked up 5.5 sacks, and his high-energy displays have set a great tone.
Alongside Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II and guard Quinn Meinerz, Cooper now becomes the third member of GM George Paton's 2021 draft class to have signed an extension to stay with the team. Major building blocks are now in place to help build around, with the onus being put on youthful talents like Nik Bonitto and Jonah Elliss to continue stepping up and replace Browning moving forward.
Having overcome some historical issues with an irregular heartbeat, Cooper also provides a feel-good, inspirational success story. Cooper is also becoming a bonafide leader within the locker room, setting a professional standard that's clearly rubbing off on others.
That was further evidenced by the fact that only hours after signing his life-changing deal, Cooper was distraught about how he and his defensive unit couldn't stop Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson when the Broncos had the opportunity to do so.
"We gotta stop him, every time in that second half, we can't let him run it up like that—we can't let that stuff happen," Cooper said post-game on Sunday via Scotty Gange. "We can't let that stuff happen,. We just can't let the game get away from us like that. We gotta find a way to stop him."
For all the struggles the defense went through on Sunday, it's never easy to defend the notoriously slippery two-time NFL MVP, but failing to finish off Jackson was a recurring theme all afternoon.
"We've just got to finish those plays, we can't get that close and to have him stiff-arm us or push us off so that he can create space and extend the plays," Cooper said. "We can't let that happen, and on every single one we give the guy—we've got to win."
The challenges come thick and fast in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes is up next. The reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs remain currently undefeated.
The Broncos will need all of Cooper's leadership skills and toughness if they're going to get to grips with Mahomes a lot better than they did Jackson. The trade deadline has passed, but by keeping Cooper around and trading away Browning for a low-round pick, a far more nuts-and-bolts approach appears to be the Broncos' preference.
