Not every rookie enters an NFL season with the same runway. For Omar Cooper Jr., the opportunity is there. So is the spotlight, but the latter may begin to dim some once we reach the latter stages of the coming New York Jets season (and when the conversations shift to postseason honors).
Sure, they’re going to love him in Gotham. There’s our great nation’s largest media market to consider, but there’s also the national media and the talent that we’ll see prove their mettle in other cities.
We all saw it. The Jets didn’t trade back into the first round to make a quiet selection. Cooper arrives with expectations as the likely No. 2 option at wide receiver behind Garrett Wilson. Unlike many rookies, there isn’t much standing in his way on the depth chart. That’s the good news. The challenge comes from everything else.
We just can’t help ourselves. It’s only May, and at times, it’s hard to avoid the temptation to look ahead to January. We know what’s being said about the Jets now. How might the conversation shift by the time we all reach January?
Prognostication is a part of the deal. Ben Solak recently outlined early Offensive Rookie of the Year projections and placed Cooper in the conversation, albeit among the long shots. The reasoning wasn’t complicated.
“The Jets traded up in the Round 1 to secure Cooper as their every down WR2 behind Garrett Wilson. He has almost no incumbent challenge as targets at receiver, as Adonai Mitchell is the best candidate to steal some of his snaps. However, the tight end duo of Mason Taylor and Kenyon Sadiq, and the presence of running back Breece Hall do put a damper on his expected volume. Cooper is a tier below players such as Concepcion and Lemon as far as talent goes, and it’s hard to see him producing the big games necessary to steal this award from a starting quarterback or productive back.”
Touches… Between Cooper and Wilson, a strong tight end duo, and Breece Hall commanding attention out of the backfield, the Jets’ offense isn’t built to funnel production through one secondary receiver. That limits Cooper’s first-year statistical ceiling.
Still, Cooper’s situation isn’t without intrigue. He projects as an every-down player. He’ll be on the field, and he’ll get his touches. That matters more than most realize. Opportunity in the NFL doesn’t always start with volume. It starts with presence.
If he builds chemistry early and earns trust, the targets will follow, but would it be enough for a statistical explosion? Cooper may not be the flashiest name in early award discussions, but he doesn’t need to be. Because in an offense still finding its rhythm, all it takes is a few moments, and a few big plays/ One can never tell. A long shot could eventually transform himself into something much more serious.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Omar Cooper Jr.’s path to postseason recognition may depend on opportunity
Reporting by Geoffrey A Knox, Jets Wire / Jets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
