SEPTEMBER 15: Further testing confirmed that Cooper did indeed sprain his ankle, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. A week-to-week approach will now be taken, and Rapoport adds there is optimism a return within the next four games will be possible. Cooper is therefore likely to avoid injured reserve.
SEPTEMBER 13: The Jets were able to pull a win out of their trip to Nashville to open the season today, but they lost a couple key players along the way. Three-time All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick missed a good portion of his Jets debut after hurting his groin, and first-round rookie wideout Omar Cooper Jr. is believed to have suffered a high ankle sprain, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer.
Cooper, one of the Jets’ three first-round picks from this year’s draft, earned a starting role on New York’s offense alongside fellow former first-round receivers Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell. On the team’s first drive today, Cooper made the first big play of the game, reeling in a 30-yard pass from Geno Smith on a third down to set his new team up at the four-yard line. He only played five snaps on the day, though, as he left the game with the aforementioned ankle injury.
Per Pelissero, Cooper underwent X-rays after exiting today that came back negative for any bone damage, so he will undergo an MRI tomorrow in order to determine the extent of the injury. The results of that scan will inform how long of an absence the Indiana product will endure. A mild, Grade 1 sprain that doesn’t see any tear to the ligament, might sideline Cooper for only a week or two. A moderate, Grade 2 sprain, showing a partial tear, might up that timeline to three to six weeks. A Grade 3 sprain, showing a full tear of the ligament, would change the conversation from weeks to months.
Cooper’s potential absence compounds on top of yesterday’s loss, when New York placed veteran receiver Tim Patrick on injured reserve. Down Cooper and Patrick, the receiving corps currently consists of only four healthy players on the active roster: Wilson, Mitchell, Isaiah Williams, and Arian Smith. The Jets do roster two more wideouts on their taxi squad in Jamaal Pritchett and Malik McClain, but neither player has any NFL experience. If Cooper does end up missing multiple weeks, it might be prudent for the Jets to pursue an addition at the position.
Like Cooper, Fitzpatrick was injured on the team’s first defensive drive of the game. Fitzpatrick’s feet appeared to get tangled as he tried to break towards the sideline, and he immediately went to the ground, grabbing his groin. We didn’t receive a diagnosis on Fitzpatrick’s condition, but he didn’t return to play. His status will be one to watch as injury reports come out later this week. With Fitzpatrick out, Andre Cisco joined Dane Belton on the first-team defense for the rest of the game.
