Omar Cooper Jr. is likely to miss some time, but the Jets avoided a much worse scenario.
He has an ankle sprain, though an MRI exam showed some positive news, according to NFL Network. He is considered week-to-week, meaning Cooper avoided a long-term injury that would have required a stint on injured reserve.
The rookie receiver, whom the Jets drafted with the No. 30 pick in the first round, broke multiple tackles on a 30-yard catch-and-run that set up the Jets’ first touchdown during their 23-10 season-opening win over the Titans on Sunday in Tennessee. But he was injured on the play and had to be carted off the field.
Isaiah Williams is likely to get a bigger role in Cooper’s absence.
There is also a bit more clarity on safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who also exited Sunday’s game.
He is expected to miss two-to-three weeks with a groin injury, according to Jordan Schultz.
After Fitzpatrick exited, Dane Belton shifted into his role while Andre Cisco came in off 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 said 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.
“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 traded a seventh-round pick to the Dolphins this past offseason for Fitzpatrick, who subsequently signed a three-year, $40 million extension.
