Updated Oct. 16, 2026, 1:48 p.m. MT
Story update: The NFL has removed Jonathon Cooper from the exempt list, making him eligible to play in Week 7. View our original post below.
Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper might be a candidate to be removed from the commissioner’s exempt list this week.
Cooper is facing multiple charges, including a felony assault charge, related to two arrests following alleged incidents involving his former girlfriend this summer.
The NFL’s baseline suspension for domestic violence is six games, and while he wasn’t suspended, Cooper sat out the team’s first six games of the season while on the exempt list. Last week, the trial for Cooper’s case was pushed back to March, and the NFL likely won’t hand down potential discipline until after the legal process has concluded.
In the meantime, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell could remove Cooper from the exempt list, allowing him to play this season while awaiting his trial during the offseason. That kind of scenario has happened before in the NFL, but it’s not guaranteed to happen in this case. A potential return for Cooper this week is merely speculation, but it wouldn’t be unprecedented. We should learn more about Cooper’s roster status before Week 7.
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