The New York Jets placed rookie wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. on injured reserve Saturday with a sprained ankle, the team announced. Cooper’s move to IR reduces the Jets’ depth at the position, leaving the club with two receivers on injured reserve and four receivers on the active roster for Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium against the Green Bay Packers.
What happened to Cooper and how it unfolded
Cooper, a first-round pick out of Indiana taken 30th overall, made a noticeable impact in his debut despite limited snaps. On the opening possession of the Week 1 win over the Tennessee Titans, he caught a short pass, broke multiple tackles and turned it into a 30-yard gain that set up a touchdown. He played only four snaps before leaving the game, did not practice all week and was officially ruled out on Friday.
The Jets confirmed the sprained ankle as the reason for Cooper’s placement on injured reserve Saturday.
Roster implications for the New York Jets
With Cooper now on IR alongside Tim Patrick, the Jets have two wide receivers sidelined and only four healthy receivers available for Sunday’s game. That compressed depth chart will force the team to operate with a smaller active receiving corps in the short term.
ESPN projects Cooper will return after the mandatory four-week IR stint and be eligible to play Oct. 18 against the New England Patriots. That timeline, if it holds, would allow Cooper to rejoin the active roster once the four-week minimum has elapsed.
For now, New York’s coaching staff must manage game-day personnel with fewer options at wide receiver, and the team will carry on with the remaining healthy receivers in uniform for the matchup at MetLife Stadium.
Cooper’s early play — the explosive 30-yard catch on the opening drive — provided a brief glimpse of the rookie’s playmaking ability before the ankle injury curtailed his Week 1 debut. The Jets will now monitor his recovery through the IR process and adjust the active roster accordingly over the coming weeks.
