The Jets used their first-round pick in April on a wide receiver, watched him make a third-down play on the opening series of the season, and have now lost him for a stretch. WR Omar Cooper Jr. was placed on injured reserve on September 19, and the roster moves around that decision say something about how this team is choosing to operate.
The Jets placed rookie WR Omar Cooper Jr. on injured reserve on September 19, 2026, with the ankle injury he sustained in the Week 1 win at Tennessee. The club also elevated K Jason Sanders and LB Troy Reeder from the practice squad for the Week 2 game against Green Bay.
Why did the Jets put Omar Cooper Jr. on injured reserve?
Because the ankle he hurt in Week 1 did not come back quickly enough. Cooper, taken No. 30 overall in April’s draft, played the opening series against the Titans and produced a 30-yard gain on third down that set up the Jets’ first touchdown of the season. He did not play again. Moving him to injured reserve opens a roster spot the club can use week to week.
The Jets have not announced a return timeline or said whether Cooper will be designated to return later in the season. His current designation is carried on the Jets injury report.
What does this cost the Jets at wide receiver?
It costs them the player they drafted to be the complement, not the replacement. Garrett Wilson remains the focal point — he caught the 5-yard touchdown in the Week 2 loss to the Packers that was Geno Smith’s first passing score as a Jet since 2016. Adonai Mitchell had a career-best 43 receiving yards in the first half of that game, and Isaiah Williams took on snaps as well.
Cooper’s debut in No. 11 had suggested a bigger role was coming. That is now deferred rather than delivered, and the receiver room is thinner than the depth chart implied three weeks ago.
Why are the Jets still elevating their kicker every week?
Because Jason Sanders is on the practice squad, not the active roster. The Week 2 elevation was the second straight week the Jets had brought him up, and he kicked the 32-yard field goal that gave them a 17–7 lead. In Week 1 he made field goals from 33, 51 and 52 yards with one miss from 54 — his first NFL game action since 2024.
Head coach Aaron Glenn said on Friday he valued the response after the miss: “I thought it was critical to see him go through that miss and then be able to come back and make [two kicks from 50-plus yards] which I thought was impressive. I like the way he fought back.” Elevating a specialist week to week keeps a roster spot free; it is a choice, not an accident.
Who is Troy Reeder and why does he matter?
He is depth at linebacker with real NFL mileage. Reeder has played 106 games across seven seasons and was most recently with Detroit before joining the Jets’ practice squad. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Rams in 2019 and played collegiately at Penn State and Delaware.
That matters more after Sunday than it did before it, because the Jets came out of the game with new injuries at linebacker. The next stop on the 2026 schedule is Detroit on September 27 — Reeder’s former club, and head coach Aaron Glenn’s.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Jets place Omar Cooper Jr. on injured reserve?
On September 19, 2026, ahead of the Week 2 game against the Green Bay Packers.
What is Omar Cooper Jr.’s injury?
An ankle injury, sustained in the Jets’ 23–10 Week 1 win at Tennessee on September 13, 2026.
Where was Omar Cooper Jr. drafted?
No. 30 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Will Omar Cooper Jr. return this season?
The Jets have not announced a return timeline or a designation to return. Nothing beyond the injured reserve placement has been stated by the club.
Who did the Jets elevate for Week 2?
K Jason Sanders and LB Troy Reeder were elevated from the practice squad to the active roster. It was the second straight week the Jets elevated Sanders.
How did Jason Sanders kick in Week 1?
He made field goals from 33, 51 and 52 yards and missed one from 54, in his first NFL game action since 2024.