Broncos confirm OLB Jonathon Cooper is excused from minicamp practices

The Denver Broncos have excused outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper from this week’s mandatory minicamp practices, a move confirmed by head coach Sean Payton after practice, according to Yahoo Sports. The decision comes amid renewed off-field scrutiny for Cooper, who was reported earlier to have been arrested for a second time last week.

Broncos minicamp matters because it is one of the final early offseason environments in which teams can install and measure routine before training camp and the grind of the regular-season schedule. Mandatory participation indicates that the club expects players to be available for on-field work, meetings, and team-wide instruction. By excusing Cooper from practices, Denver is temporarily reducing his presence in the most structured, coach-driven portion of the offseason calendar.

Payton’s confirmation, reported after the session on June 16, suggested the team is treating the situation through the normal lens of availability and organizational discipline rather than letting it linger purely as a distraction. The same report described Payton’s tone as different from the prior day, when the matter was first in the news cycle.

Cooper’s status with the Broncos will be watched closely in the days ahead, not only because minicamp closes soon, but because offseason expectations for veterans and key defensive pieces often carry over into camp preparation. Even if a player is excused from one set of workouts, the practical question becomes whether he can fully rejoin team activity afterward and how the coaching staff calibrates practice reps and responsibilities.

This episode also adds to the backdrop of how the NFL and its teams handle player conduct and public scrutiny. While Cooper’s excusal is a clear team action, the underlying legal process and the league or team’s longer-term review timeline are separate tracks. Until there is additional confirmed information, the Broncos’ immediate decision remains the most concrete development on-field connected to the incident.

For Broncos fans, the near-term takeaway is straightforward: Denver will move through the rest of minicamp without Cooper on the practice field, and the defensive staff will adjust accordingly. The more durable impact, if any, would depend on whether Cooper can return to full participation and how the situation affects his standing within the group as the team transitions toward training camp.