The timeline for Jonathon Cooper and his legal situation has changed

Denver Broncos edge-rusher Jonathon Cooper was excused from the team’s mandatory minicamp this week.

Cooper’s been arrested twice this month and now faces a variety of charges, including a felony, after an alleged altercation with his girlfriend.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton said earlier this week the organization is taking the situation “very seriously” and Cooper needs to figure some things out.

“He’s taking this time obviously, he’s gotta work on himself and the club’s very much in tune to the league office, local authorities here and we’ve had several meetings,” Payton said.

With a disposition hearing on July 24, Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post reports that if Cooper’s case does go to trial, it won’t happen before the Broncos begin training camp.

An official schedule for camp hasn’t been released yet by the team, but it always starts at the end of July. There’s a good chance Jonathon Cooper will be in the courtroom and not on the football field.

This latest wrinkle could complicate the Broncos decision of what to do with Cooper. They could cut him and simply move on — or let the legal process play out and see how the case is resolved. Even if he’s found innocent, a potential suspension from the NFL looms.

It sounds like the next update on all of this won’t come until July 24. And with the Broncos officially on summer break, they hope the news cycle stays quiet over the next six weeks.