Omar Cooper Jr. and Minkah Fitzpatrick both left Sunday’s New York Jets game against the Tennessee Titans with injuries, but the early returns suggest neither will miss extended time. That’s a significant relief for a Jets roster with legitimate reasons for optimism in 2026.

Cooper, the rookie wide receiver out of Indiana, suffered an ankle sprain and is considered week to week. He should be available by early October at the latest. Minkah Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, is expected to miss two to three weeks with a strained groin. 

Now, keep in mind with Cooper, this is a guy with a history of ankle injuries dating back to his college days till now with the Jets. This could be something to monitor down the line as we go. But the fact that the timeline is this short for both of these guys is a very good sign.

Sterling Shepard signing adds depth at receiver

The Jets moved quickly to shore up their receiver room, signing veteran Sterling Shepard to the practice squad. The Jets also signed WR Tyler Johnson to the practice squad as well. I would expect Shepard to be an active roster elevation on Sunday when New York faces the Green Bay Packers. 

The Jets currently only have four active receivers: Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Isaiah Williams and Arian Smith. 

In the meantime, the Jets have to lean on Garrett Wilson, A.D. Mitchell, and Isaiah Williams to carry the load. Arian Smith could see an uptick in snaps as well. The depth is there, but Cooper’s absence still stings.

The play he got hurt on tells you everything you need to know about this kid’s upside. It came on the first drive, which made the timing really unfortunate, but it was a heck of a play. Cooper caught a crossing pattern from quarterback Geno Smith. He certainly did the rest with his run-after-the-catch ability.

Cooper was making defenders miss, fighting through tackles, and got the ball down inside the five-yard line. One target, one catch, and he made it count. This dude is going to be a player in this Jets offense, even as a rookie. They’ve just got to get him back healthy. 

Fitzpatrick’s absence could sting more on defense

On the defensive side of the ball, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick went down with a groin injury. The Jets are promoting Jordan Clark to the active roster to help fill the void by providing depth. They also signed safety John Saunders to the practice squad.

I think Fitzpatrick’s absence actually hurts the Jets more than losing Cooper in the short term. Fitzpatrick is the captain of that secondary. Obviously you have Demario Davis at middle linebacker anchoring the defense, but Fitzpatrick is the guy who makes everything go in the back end. 

He’s one of the best players on the Jets’ defense, period. They’re going to have to patch it together and hold it down until he’s back.

The silver lining with both injuries is the timeline. We’re talking about two to four weeks at most. That’s certainly manageable, and getting both Cooper and Fitzpatrick back healthy by early October at the latest could keep this team on track. 

The Jets have a tough slate coming up with a trio of NFC North opponents in the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears. 

I liked what I saw from Cooper even on that one drive, and Fitzpatrick’s track record speaks for itself. Get through these injuries on time, and I think the Jets’ potential for 2026 rises again.