Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper has caught HC Sean Payton's eye
The Denver Broncos have some stacked positions on defense and one guy whose name only gets talked about a little just caught Sean Payton's eye.Agent Zero is the new nickname circling around the Bronco's OTAs and mandatory minicamp. Jonathon Cooper is the first Broncos player to wear the number zero, which is pretty cool, to […]
The Denver Broncos have some stacked positions on defense and one guy whose name only gets talked about a little just caught Sean Payton's eye.
Agent Zero is the new nickname circling around the Bronco's OTAs and mandatory minicamp. Jonathon Cooper is the first Broncos player to wear the number zero, which is pretty cool, to say the least. The nickname fits too.
Cooper is a guy that is in a deep position group. The outside linebacker room may be the deepest on the defense, with guys like Cooper, Frank Clark, Randy Gregory, Nik Bonitto, Baron Browning, and Aaron Patrick. Of course, the Broncos also have a few undrafted free agents in the room they like to.
Because of how deep that position group is, Cooper doesn't get talked about a lot. However, he is catching his new head coach's eyes.
"It's difficult because those are the groups that aren't in pads, but you certainly see the get-off, the explosion, and the experience," Payton said of Cooper to media on Thursday. "I think when we get into training camp, you then get a better feel. I'll get a better feel for a lot of these players that I still don't know well.
"I know them now, and I know their names, but I've just seen it so many times when the pads come on, and you get a completely different perspective from a certain running back or a certain someone who stands out. It becomes a little clearer, but he's important to what we're doing."
To reiterate what Payton is saying: He hasn't seen much of Cooper yet, but what he has seen, he likes. He is right, though; he has to learn everyone's name game and all of that. That can be difficult, and it can also be difficult to do without pads and without a ton of contact. That is the downside of defense in the offseason.
The Broncos' defense is stacked at the outside linebacker position. But, knowing how often the Broncos get him with the injury bug, they should be fine in the depth area. Cooper has shown flashes of some of the things he can bring. Now he needs to put it all together in camp to show he deserves more of a chance.
Featured Image Via Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
