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Jets' Omar Cooper Jr. gets bad news on starting job amid unexpected surge from ex-Lions WR
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- Jets' Omar Cooper Jr. gets bad news on starting job amid unexpected surge from ex-Lions WR
Jets' Omar Cooper Jr. gets bad news on starting job amid unexpected surge from ex-Lions WR originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The New York Jets revamped their offense this offseason, adding Geno Smith to take over at quarterback while also picking up Omar Cooper Jr. and Kenyon Sadiq in the NFL Draft.
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The Jets offense is now actually in a good spot, with their running back room led by Breece Hall being strong, and their wide receiver depth chart being unexpectedly strong as well. However, for Cooper, that strength could be a bad thing.
According to ESPN's Rich Cimini , the Jets might not have Cooper as their WR3 this season, as former Detroit Lions WR Isaiah Williams has been putting together an impressive training camp and could leapfrog Cooper for a starting job.
Omar Cooper Jr. might lose his starting job to Isaiah Williams
"WR Isaiah Williams, one of the stars of camp, has played his way into a bigger role," Cimini reports. "... Williams, who made three receptions in the joint practice, could leapfrog first-round pick Omar Cooper Jr., who has experienced 'little pitfalls,' receivers coach Shawn Jefferson said. 'That's part of being a rookie,'" Cimini reports.
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Williams is having an impressive training camp, and the recent joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has made for an interesting competition.
This update from Cimini doesn't mean that Cooper, the 22-year-old WR drafted with the 31st pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, won't earn the WR3 job.
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But what this report does do is clarify the WR pecking order, with Garrett Wilson firmly the No. 1 option, with Adonai Mitchell right behind him at the No. 2 WR spot.
After recording 69 receptions for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns for the National Champion Indiana Hoosiers last year in college football, Cooper might be off to a slow start this rookie season.
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If Williams does actually become enough of a factor in the receiving game that he's taking WR3 snaps from Cooper, then it's hard to imagine that the first-round WR could have a big rookie season.
This will be a situation to monitor going forward, as Cooper might not have such a clear-cut path to being the Jets' WR3 this season than intiially anticipated.
