The NFL places Denver Broncos outside linebacker/edge rusher Jonathon Cooper on the commissioner’s exempt list, meaning he will not be available to play or practice as the team prepares for the regular season. Multiple reports say the move keeps him from counting against Denver’s 53-man roster while the situation is pending.
Reports also tie the decision to legal matters involving Cooper. The Associated Press, citing a person with knowledge of the decision, says he will start the season on the list after arrests in June related to alleged domestic violence involving his former girlfriend, with an arraignment scheduled for Monday. Other outlets similarly describe two offseason incidents and multiple charges, including a felony strangulation/assault count. While sources differ in how they characterize the number or phrasing of charges, they consistently connect the exempt-list placement to those arrests and the ongoing legal process.
