Denver Broncos Kick Off Mandatory Mini-Camp This Week

If you look a long way out to the horizon across the State of Colorado, you can ALMOST see it at this point. Football season is out there somewhere.

The Denver Broncos are back to it this week, holding their first true mini-camp of the year. That mini-camp has brought a couple newsworthy items, both of the good news and bad news variety.

The best news is the return of quarterback Bo Nix, who's already looking pretty sharp. His return to practice is somewhat limited, but from the video we've gotten to see he looks to be fully recovered from breaking his ankle against the Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs last season.

He's had surgery and a clean up procedure completed and says he could be "full go" now if they'd let him, so by the time the Broncos play their first preseason game on August 14, he will be ready to roll. He will certainly be ready for the regular season opener a month later at Kansas City. What a way to start the season.

READ MORE: Von Miller Rumors Get Hot Again As He Eyes His Next Team

The bad news of this mini-camp is the absence of linebacker Jonathan Cooper. Cooper was arrested twice in a week for domestic violence related issues. The team and the league are cooperating with the investigation and it's currently not clear what consequences he will face from either or both the Broncos and the NFL.

Head Coach Sean Payton said this week that they're continuing to monitor the situation, but one thing he made clear was the team has a high standard for its players in the behavior department, which does not bode well for Cooper if the allegations end up being proven.

Cooper was a big piece of last year's record setting defense that helped advance them to the AFC Championship game. If he ends up in trouble and/or is dismissed by the team, hopefully the Broncos can find another fan favorite, talented outside linebacker to take his spot... even if slightly long in the tooth. Von Miller on line one?