The Biggest Takeaway From Jonathon Cooper Reporting to Camp

Jonathon Cooper reported to training camp on Tuesday, along with all the Denver Broncos veterans. 9NEWS' Mike Klis confirmed Cooper's arrival.

There were questions surrounding the beleaguered outside linebacker and whether he'd be reporting to camp on schedule, especially after the Broncos excused Cooper from mandatory minicamp following two arrests that occurred within a week of each other.

We have since learned that Cooper checking himself into an inpatient mental health facility was one of the reasons the Broncos excused him from mandatory minicamp. Cooper was in treatment for more than a month, staying in close contact with the Broncos during his stay, per Klis.

Cooper will be at training camp, but his criminal case is far from resolved. Dealing with felony assault charges stemming from an alleged argument with his then-girlfriend in June over his cell phone, he has yet to be arraigned on these charges, with that court hearing being scheduled for August 31.

Broncos Are Courting Distraction

Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Empower Field at Mile High. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Clearly, Cooper's ongoing legal battle will bleed well into the summer, and perhaps into the football season. The Broncos' regular-season opener is set for September 14 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

With Cooper at camp, the Broncos seem to be willing to accept the risk of his off-the-field drama becoming a distraction. The concern is that such a distraction could take away from the Broncos' mission to build a team callus and prepare for their brutal first eight-week schedule.

I wouldn't expect to hear from Cooper at the podium at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit, but head coach Sean Payton and other players made available each day may have to deal with questions about the situation. That's one way it could become a distraction.

Plus, we don't know how the throes of what Cooper is going through might affect his teammates, who are his friends, too. The Broncos may not exactly be courting disaster, but they are courting distraction.

Beware the NFL

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during Super Bowl LX press conference at San Jose Convention Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Unless Cooper suddenly decides to plead guilty to the charges at his arraignment, at which point he would have to manage whatever consequences the court hands out, this case could stretch into the regular season. Complicating matters for the Broncos is the NFL and its Personal Conduct Policy.

If the NFL finds that Cooper violated the Personal Conduct Policy, it could hand down a six-game suspension, especially considering the domestic violence nature of his alleged misdeeds. Depending on how his court case plays out, he could appeal the suspension and get it reduced, but either way, there's a good chance he'll end up missing some games.

Even if Cooper manages to have a great training camp, despite all that's going on in his life off the field, the Broncos will need to prepare contingencies in the event that he's suspended.

Is Denver Standing Behind Cooper?

There have been questions about whether the Broncos might release Cooper, but even if the team is still undecided on that topic, such a move doesn't appear imminent.

A release probably would have happened before Cooper was due to report to training camp. Remember, the alleged crimes he has been charged with are ugly, but he's innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and the Broncos could wait to make any further decision on his future until there is a legal resolution, one way or another.

Then again, it's possible that Denver has already decided to stand behind Cooper. His second arrest, which showed a concerning lack of judgment, was due to his violating a protective order the court put in place after his first arrest, whether he's guilty of the alleged initial crimes or not.

But Cooper has sought mental health treatment, which could be interpreted as a step toward penitence. The court could view it that way; whether the Broncos do or not remains to be seen.

OLB Options

Whatever happens with Cooper's future, the good news is that Denver is very deep at outside linebacker. The Pro Bowler Nik Bonitto headlines a depth chart that also features Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, and Que Robinson.

The Broncos are also giving Drew Sanders a shot at outside linebacker, a 2023 third-round pick. If Cooper misses any time, the Broncos should be able to march ahead defensively without skipping a beat.

The Takeaway

Time will tell how the Cooper situation plays out in court, but he's now in the building. That big question has been answered, and we can only wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds.

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