Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper has been placed on the commissioner’s exempt list to begin the upcoming season, according to a source with knowledge of the decision. The move was communicated to The Associated Press on Sunday ahead of the roster cutdown deadline, though it had not yet been officially announced by the team or the NFL at that time.
Cooper is facing multiple domestic violence charges, including a felony count of second-degree assault by strangulation. He is scheduled for an arraignment Monday to address the charges. The allegations stem from two separate incidents in June involving a woman Cooper was dating at the time. During the first arrest on June 4, both Cooper and his then-girlfriend were taken into custody following an argument and physical altercation. Police records indicate the woman had accused Cooper of infidelity, which led to the confrontation.
Prosecutors subsequently dropped charges against the woman while adding charges against Cooper. She was granted a protection order. Cooper was arrested a second time on allegations that he violated the protection order by contacting his former girlfriend through multiple messages and phone calls and by going to her residence. According to arrest documents, he left when she contacted emergency services.
During the offseason, Cooper was permitted to participate in training camp activities and served as one of the Broncos’ captains during their preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings, a game Denver won 34-6. However, he had been instructed to avoid the team’s mandatory minicamp in June following his second arrest. The NFL is conducting an investigation into the situation, and Cooper could face an extended suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy. Cooper, 28, has been a significant contributor to the Broncos’ defense, having started 52 consecutive games. The defensive unit has led the league in sacks during each of the past two seasons.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI