Jeff LegwoldOct 16, 2026, 04:42 PM ETCloseJeff Legwold covers the Denver Broncos at ESPN. He has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years and also assists with NFL draft coverage, joining ESPN in 2013. He has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999, too. Jeff previously covered the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans at previous stops prior to ESPN.Multiple AuthorsENGLEWOOD, Colo. — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell removed Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper from the league’s exempt list Friday.Cooper, who was unable to practice or play in games while he was on the list, will now be available to play in the Broncos’ Week 7 road game against the Arizona Cardinals.Cooper, who was arrested twice in a seven-day span in June on domestic violence charges, has been on the exempt list since Aug. 30.Cooper was in Douglas County (Colorado) court last week for a motions hearing and has a March 2-4 trial scheduled in his case, as well as a pretrial hearing scheduled for Feb. 19 .
In a statement Friday, the NFL said its review of Cooper’s case “remains ongoing and is not affected by this change to Cooper’s roster status.”Cooper could still face league discipline at a later date under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.The Broncos will get a one-week roster exemption for Cooper, who can now return to practice. He could then be added to the 53-man roster at any point over the next week and play Oct. 25 against the Cardinals.He had been able to attend meetings and other team functions, including weight room and conditioning work, when he was on the exempt list.The exempt list is designed to remove a player from participation in games and practices while potential violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy are reviewed. Cooper has been paid while on the list.His time on the exempt list — the first six weeks of the regular season — would count toward any league-mandated suspension in the future. If suspended, however, he would have to return the weekly game checks he has received because suspensions from the personal conduct policy are without pay.Cooper had practiced throughout training camp.Cooper faces a felony charge of second-degree assault by strangulation and three misdemeanors, including violating a protection order, after he was arrested June 4 and then again June 11 after incidents involving his girlfriend.The felony charge stemmed from the first arrest after the results of a forensic examination of Cooper’s girlfriend by a nurse.The affidavit that was included in the police investigation into Cooper’s first arrest contained the report from the medical exam of Cooper’s girlfriend.
In it, a nurse wrote that the woman experienced a physical injury from being choked that led to a “substantial risk of death” or substantial risk of injury, including the possibility of traumatic brain injury.Broncos coach Sean Payton has consistently deferred to the NFL’s investigation and the legal process when he has discussed the team’s approach with the sixth-year linebacker. Payton said that the Broncos set guidelines for Cooper after the arrest and that that has included therapy.Cooper was a seventh-round pick in the 2021 draft and has 31.5 sacks in 81 career games with the Broncos, including eight sacks last season. He has started every game in each of the past three seasons.The Broncos are 4-2 after Thursday night’s home win over the Seattle Seahawks.
