Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper removed from commissioner’s exempt list

Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper removed from commissioner's exempt list. Jon Heath Broncos Wire.

Key points

• "The NFL initiated an investigation under the Personal Conduct Policy following Cooper's arrests in June, " the NFL remarked in an official note.
• Cooper is facing multiple charges, including a felony assault charge, related to those arrests, but his trial has been pushed back from mid-November to early March.
• With Cooper's trial now months away, the NFL will allow him to play while his legal situation is pending.
• Depending on the outcome of Cooper's upcoming trial, the NFL could still hand down discipline going forward.
• Denver has a roster exemption for Cooper that expires on Oct.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has removed Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper from the commissioner's exempt list, making him eligible to practice and play in Week 7, according to multiple reports.

"The NFL initiated an investigation under the Personal Conduct Policy following Cooper's arrests in June, " the NFL remarked in an official note. "The league's review remains ongoing and is not affected by this change to Cooper's roster status."

Cooper, 28, spent the first six games of the season on the exempt list after two arrests related to a pair of incidents involving his former girlfriend this summer. Cooper is facing multiple charges, including a felony assault charge, related to those arrests, but his trial has been pushed back from mid-November to early March.

With Cooper's trial now months away, the NFL will allow him to play while his legal situation is pending. The league has a baseline six-game suspension for domestic violence, and while Cooper was not suspended, he did sit out the team's first six games of the 2026 season while on the exempt list.

Depending on the outcome of Cooper's upcoming trial, the NFL could still hand down discipline going forward. For the moment, though, the sixth-year pass rusher will be allowed to return to play with the Broncos.

Denver has a roster exemption for Cooper that expires on Oct. 26, so the team does not need to immediately create room for him to return to the 53-man roster. Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! SMS Facebook Twitter Email.

Taken together, the developments around broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper removed from commissioner's exempt list point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.