There was a sense of joy on Jonathon Cooper’s face that a 31-point loss couldn’t take away.
The Broncos starting edge rusher solidified his place in the team’s future, signing a four-year, $60 million contract extension that the team announced on Tuesday. For Cooper, Denver’s belief in him was just as important as the contract value.
“It humbles me,” Cooper said after Wednesday’s practice. “(I know) my work has to be better. That’s where my mindset is. How can I even exceed this (and) show my appreciation on the field?”
Cooper said the contract negotiation — which took about three weeks — went smoothly. He loves his teammates and the organization, which took a chance on the former Ohio State pass rusher by taking him in the seventh round of the 2021 draft.
Cooper has made Denver home and wanted to continue to help the defense grow.
“We got a lot of young (and) talented guys on this defense, and I think we’re all going to get better,” Cooper said. “I feel like we still haven’t played our best defense.”
Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Cooper deserved the new deal. Over the last two years, Cooper has blossomed into a quality edge rusher for the Broncos, totaling 14 sacks in 26 games.
Nine games into his fourth season in the league, Cooper has totaled 5.5 sacks and 30 pressures, 11 of them have come under three seconds, according to Next Gen Stats.
“He’s tough (and) competitive,” Payton said. “You know the physicality you are getting with the player.”
Cornerback Pat Surtain II, who signed a four-year, $96 million extension in September, said he’s proud of Cooper. Surtain admires how Cooper comes in every day with the right mindset and work ethic.
“Him being a seventh-round pick (and) able to secure that contract is huge,” Surtain said.
Now that Cooper has signed the dotted line, he has bigger goals in mind. He wants to go to a Pro Bowl and be named an All-Pro. He wants to live up to the standard set by former Denver pass rushers like Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware and Bradley Chubb.
Cooper said he is still “pissed off” about losing 41-10 to the Ravens last week, and hopes to take that anger out on the Chiefs on Sunday.
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“I have this new motivation to keep going,” Cooper said.
Cooper always believed in himself. Even after having two heart ablation surgeries in high school and three in May 2021, he never doubted he could make it to this point of his career.
He’s thankful the Broncos believed in him, too.
“I don’t ever want to let them down,” he said.
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