The Denver Broncos face a lot of pressure in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season as they need a win against the tough Jacksonville Jaguars. Even worse for them, they will play without Jonathon Cooper.
Cooper is currently sidelined on the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List following two arrests this summer related to domestic disputes. His status will remain on hold as his legal situation unfolds.
Jonathon Cooper is an important player for the Denver Broncos as a productive edge rusher. The team clearly missed him in Week 1 against the Chiefs, where the pass rush wasn’t as effective.
Cooper was instrumental for the Broncos in 2025
Opposite Nik Bonitto, Cooper had 8.0 sacks, second-best on the Broncos. Hence, without him the Broncos are really missing a force in the defensive line. Against a team like the Jaguars, they need to put pressure on them.
However, due to being in the Exempt list, he cannot even practice. It’s still not clear when Cooper will be back until the legal issues clear out. After that, the NFL can still punish him.
The Broncos must put pressure on Trevor Lawrence
Lawrence is coming off a highly efficient Week 1 performance and has noted seeing how to counter early pressure looks. Denver’s defense must get off the field on third down, an area where Jacksonville excelled previously.
If Lawrence has time to throw, he can decimate secondaries with his accuracy and the plethora of weapons the Jags have at their disposal. Hence, it will be key to make him feel uncomfortable if the Broncos want to win.
