New York Jets rookie wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. is considered week-to-week after sustaining an ankle sprain during the team's season-opening win against the Tennessee Titans. An MRI revealed positive news, indicating he avoided a long-term injury that would have necessitated a stint on injured reserve.
Cooper, the Jets' first-round draft pick at No. 30 overall, suffered the injury on a 30-yard catch-and-run that led to the Jets' initial touchdown in their 23-10 victory on Sunday. He was carted off the field following the play. With Cooper sidelined, Isaiah Williams is expected to see an increased role in the receiving corps.
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick also exited Sunday's game and is anticipated to miss two to three weeks due to a groin injury. Following Fitzpatrick's departure, Dane Belton moved into his position, and Andre Cisco entered the game from the bench.
"Once Minkah was down, man, I give a lot of credit to Dane on the way that he came in and he operated because now he’s started picking up those roles that Minkah usually has," Jets coach Aaron Glenn stated on Monday. "You guys might have seen him. He’s playing at the nickel position, he’s playing safety, he moved all over the field. When Jarvis [Brownlee Jr.] went down, he actually went in and started playing nickel for us. Cisco did a really good job of actually coming in and playing the safety and that’s one thing that we talk about quite a bit. It’s getting guys to play in different positions and being able to operate."
Glenn added, "No matter who’s in the game, injuries are going to happen in this league; you can’t get away from it. What overcomes injuries though, and to me it’s a play style. I think our guys understand that and they did a good job of that."
The Jets acquired Fitzpatrick in a trade with the Miami Dolphins this past offseason for a seventh-round pick. He subsequently signed a three-year contract extension worth $40 million.
