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Jonathon Cooper is high on a big contract and low on losing old friend Baron Browning to the Cards

Jonathon Cooper is high on a big contract and low on losing old friend Baron Browning to the Cards

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Jonathon Cooper had a wild wave of emotions this weekend.

First, he signed a four-year, $60 million extension with the Denver Broncos at the team hotel in Baltimore on the eve of a 41-10 shellacking by the Ravens.

The real pain came Monday when the Broncos (5-4) traded Baron Browning, his teammate the past four years in Denver and four seasons at Ohio State, to the Arizona Cardinals.

“Baron has been my man, my teammate for eight years,” Cooper said Wednesday. “I was really hurt and very sad to see him leave. But it is a good opportunity for him and I know he will take full advantage of it.”

Cooper and Browning were both drafted by Denver in 2021. Browning was a third-rounder and Cooper a seventh-rounder after an EKG irregularity just before the draft in May led to three cardiac ablation surgeries. He missed most of the offseason program that year.

After serving as a spot starter for two years, Cooper started all 26 games for Denver over the past two seasons, totaling 14 sacks, 14 quarterback hits, 14 tackles for loss and an interception.

For his career, Cooper has 18 1/2 sacks, 183 tackles, 38 quarterback hits and 20 tackles for loss. Browning, who has played 13 fewer games than Cooper due to injuries, has 9 1/2 career sacks to go with 114 tackles, 22 QB hits and 15 tackles for loss.

Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) and linebacker Jonathon Cooper...

Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) and linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) sack Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski

Browning missed a month this season with a left foot injury and had no sacks in five games, while Cooper was a key part of the Broncos’ stingy defense, which has 31 sacks, behind only the New York Giants’ 35.

So it was an easy choice when general manager George Paton and coach Sean Payton were deciding which ones would get an extension and which ones would be traded.

“I’m excited for him,” Payton said of Cooper. “He’s strong, he’s competitive. I think he’s a very good teammate. He’s definitely earned it.”

Of Browning’s farewell, Payton said, “It’s never easy to trade places with anyone, and yet during our visit, when George and I and Baron were sitting, I thought he completely understood. He was looking forward to getting more pictures and certainly in the future. (contract) year for him is important.”

That means Sunday’s Broncos game at Kansas City (8-0) will be Cooper’s first game without his old pass-rush partner since his freshman year at Ohio State in 2016. He redshirted that season, a year before Cooper arrived in Columbus.

“We all know how talented Baron is, fantastic football player, fantastic guy, man,” Cooper said. “That’s my brother, and you know I wish him all the best. I talked to him before I went and I know he’s going to go there and be bummed, so I’m just excited to see what he does.

Cooper probably could have made more money as a free agent after this season, but he said he was satisfied with the Broncos’ offer.

“The process went very smoothly and I felt like I didn’t have to go any further than it was because I love this program, I love this team, I love the organization,” Cooper said, “and I’m signing it there. in the hotel it just worked as best it could.

But he added: “I’m still (angry) about the game.”

Cooper is the second Denver defenseman to sign an extension this year. He joins star cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who signed a new contract last summer.

“I’m very proud of Coop,” Surtain said. “If you’re talking about a guy who came in with the right approach, the right work ethic and everything to become a great player, that’s him. To be picked in the seventh round and to go through the roster this and that – it is extremely important that he can secure that contract.”