There’s little doubt that the Denver Broncos boast one of the league’s premier defensive lines. However, they also might have a Jonathon Cooper problem.
The Broncos’ star edge rusher was arrested twice in the span of two weeks in June, stemming from domestic violence charges (and violating a restraining order that was put in place as a result of those charges). He reported to the team’s training camp, but the legal case is pending. Cooper has scheduled court dates through the end of the month.
While fans of the team are still holding out hope that he’ll be ready to go once the regular season kicks off, there is a much different sentiment among the national media. ESPN’s Mina Kimes believes the 28-year-old will surely land a lengthy suspension. Even beyond the court case, there is a real chance he won’t see the field this season.
That has led many to question whether the Broncos might need to focus on what comes next. BleacherReport’s Scouting Department came out with their first (way too early) mock draft for the 2027 NFL Draft this morning, and they had Denver selecting University of Clemson edge rusher Will Heldt with the 21st pick.
“The Denver Broncos may feature the league’s most complete roster, but they should still place a premium on pass-rushing depth after John Franklin-Myers left in free agency and Douglas County, Colorado, police arrested Jonathon Cooper twice in June. With or without Cooper, the Broncos may have considered the possibility of bringing back Von Miller before his reported move to the Dallas Cowboys.” BleacherReport wrote.
Heldt Has Been Lauded As A “Bosa-Esque” Pass Rusher
Heldt might not yet be a household name in the college football landscape, but he has a sky-high ceiling that has caught the eyes of his teammates since transferring from Purdue University after the 2024 season. Jahiem Lawson, who plays alongside Heldt on Clemson’s defensive line, compared him to two players coming from one of the NFL’s strongest bloodlines.
“I like Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa type of guy,” Lawson said. “I feel like their game reminds me of him. I feel like, especially for our room, a lot of guys look up to him. So for him, I feel for him just doing what he does, how he shows up every day, I just think that’s so good for us.”
At 6’6″ and 260 lbs., Heldt has the prototypical size that NFL teams covet in their edge rushers. He also put up the type of numbers that they covet in his first year at Clemson. The (now) 21-year-old led the team with 7.5 sacks and 15.5 TFLs. He’s now entering his senior season with a lot of hype surrounding his game.
The Broncos Soon Might Have To Re-Load At Edge Rusher
Cooper is technically under contract with the team through the 2028 NFL season (and has two more void years after that). However, according to Spotrac, the team would save roughly $4.5 million against the cap by cutting ties with him next offseason. Depending on how his court cases go, that might be the most logical outcome.
If Cooper can put the legal issues in the rear-view mirror, and the team is also willing to overlook them based on his on-field impact, then this conversation might prove to be a nothing-burger. However, if that isn’t the case, the Broncos will have to consider a contingency plan.
The 2027 NFL Draft is still far away, but Clemson’s Will Heldt would be a logical option if the situation doesn’t come out in Cooper’s favor.
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