ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Had Jonathon Cooper waited a few more months, it would not have been unreasonable to project he would have received another $3 million to $5 million more a year.
Cooper knew this. His agents Jim Grogan and Boulder-based Tom Mills, being the professionals they are and two of the best in the NFL agency business, spelled out all the viable scenarios.
But Cooper didn’t want to wait a couple months more. Doing so would have meant going to free agency in March and likely saying goodbye to the Denver Broncos, the team that gave him his chance. But let Cooper explain why he bypassed free agency and took a so-called "hometown discount" to stay.
“It was because of the Broncos. The organization, the people here, I love it here,'' Cooper said in an interview with 9NEWS for the Broncos Huddle that will air at 6:30 Friday night. "I love this town. When you have a team that believes in you like this and try to get you early on in the season and they drafted me here, they believed in me and letting me see the field my for entire career here and I want to work for them honestly. I didn’t want it extended or to take it anywhere else. I just wanted to be here and show them how much I care and work with them. I didn’t see any reason to take it to free agency because I love it here and I wanted to get to work.”
The week of the 2021 NFL Draft? A medical check revealed a heart irregularity that required Cooper to undergo the second ablation procedure in his life, a condition that scared off other teams while the Broncos took him in the seventh round.
Round for round, value point per value point, Cooper is arguably the best draft pick Broncos general manager George Paton has made in his four-year term.
And so when the Broncos upped their offer last Friday to a four-year, $54 million contract extension with another $6 million in escalators tied to sack thresholds, Cooper didn’t hesitate. He left a few million future dollars on the table for the security of playing at least a few more teams with his favorite team.
Cooper’s deal includes a $6 million signing bonus he will receive this year, plus a $4 million roster bonus that is payable next March. It’s a well-constructed contract that includes salary increases based on 11, 12 and 13 sacks per year. Doable as Cooper has 5.5 sacks through 8 games this year. It includes more than $32 million in guarantees.
His $13.5 million base average annual payout makes him the league’s 20th highest-paid linebacker; 16th highest-paid outside linebacker. Could he have drawn a $17 million to $20 million a year deal in the open-bidding market in March? No doubt. But Cooper’s character that helped him set his priorities are one reason why the Broncos offered him this deal in the first place. His reliability – he’s only missed four games in four years – and production are other reasons.
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A detailed look at Cooper’s new contract with the Broncos (Note: Cooper was to make $3.116 million this season in the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. That was adjusted so his contract is really a five-year, $57.116 million deal with four years and $54 million counted as “new money.”)
2024: $1.971 million salary (8 weeks proration of $3.116 million salary, plus 10 weeks of prorated $1.055 million new salary); $6 million signing bonus.
Total: $7.971 million (full guarantee)
2025: $4 million roster bonus (guaranteed) in March; $5.635 million base (guaranteed), $510,000 in game-day roster bonus ($30,000 per game).
Total: $10.145 million ($9.635 million fully guaranteed)
2026: $11.49 million salary(guaranteed for injury at signing; becomes fully guarantee on 5th day of previous 2025 season); $510,000 game-day roster bonus.
Also: If Cooper has 11 sacks in 2025, his 2026 salary increases $250,000 to $11.74 million. If he has 12 sacks in 2025, his 2026 salary increases by $750,000 to $12.24 million. If he has 13 sacks in 2025, his 2026 increases his salary by $1.25 to $12.74 million. If he has 13 sacks plus the club makes the postseason or ranks in the top 10 in scoring defense, his base salary increases $2 million in 2026 to $13.49 million.)
Total: $12 million (The “early trigger” essentially makes $11.49 million fully guaranteed).
2027: $12.99 million salary (guaranteed for injury at signing; $3 million becomes fully guaranteed on the 5th day of the league year). $510K game-day.
Also: Same sack escalators from 2026 apply in 2027.
Total: $13.5 million ($0 guarantees at signing, then $3 million early in league year).
2028: $12.99 million salary. $510,000 in game-day roster bonus.
Also: See sack escalators from 2026 and 2027.
Total: $13.5 million (no guarantee).
