The Jets didn’t wait long to patch two holes after Week 1.
With Minkah Fitzpatrick and Omar Cooper Jr. set to miss time after the win over the Titans, New York moved quickly to add some short-term depth. The team signed veteran wideout Sterling Shepard to the practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, and opened a spot by elevating defensive back Jordan Clark to the active roster.
The timing fits the roster situation. Cooper Jr. is dealing with an ankle sprain, while Tim Patrick was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury. That leaves the Jets thinner at receiver than they’d like, especially behind Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell and Isaiah Williams.
Shepard gives them a familiar veteran option. Garafolo reported that the Jets worked out both Shepard and JuJu Smith-Schuster, with Shepard ultimately landing the job. He spent part of the summer with the Houston Texans before being cut in late August.
This is not a move aimed at the long haul, but it does bring a player who has done this before. Shepard is a 10-year veteran who has played for the Giants and Buccaneers.
In 117 games with those teams, he has 443 receptions for 4,800 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns. Last season in Tampa Bay, he still contributed, catching 39 passes for 371 yards and one touchdown in 13 games, only two of them starts.
That kind of resume matters for a team trying to keep its passing game steady while bodies heal. Behind the top three receivers, the depth chart gets thin quickly.
Arian Smith dropped his lone target in Week 1, and New York clearly didn’t want to lean on that alone. Shepard should be able to come in, learn quickly and handle roughly 15-20 snaps a game if needed.
The Jets also have some flexibility at tight end if they need it against Green Bay in Week 2, with Kenyon Sadiq, Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert and Jelani Woods available to help cover for Cooper Jr.’s absence. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that New York hopes Cooper Jr. returns within four weeks.
Clark’s promotion addresses another thin spot. With Dane Belton expected to take on a bigger role over the next few weeks, Malachi Moore was the only other safety on the active roster. Clark, who played well this summer, now gets a chance to be part of the game-day mix.
The moves were modest, but they were necessary. The Jets lost two players who matter, and they responded by adding depth without wasting time.
In Other News...
Jets Cornerbacks Just Changed The Feel Around Aaron Glenns Defense
The first look at Aaron Glenns defense brought an encouraging sign for the Jets: the cornerback room looked ready to make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. Against the Titans in Week 1, Brownlee led the group in coverage grade and did a strong job limiting the amount of attention he saw, while Brandon Stephens and Thomas also turned in positive outings. Stephens posted a 63.4 coverage grade, and Thomas finished with the second-highest mark on the team.
What made it even more interesting was how Glenn deployed Thomas throughout the game, moving him through different packages to keep Tennessee from settling in. For a defense trying to establish a new identity, that kind of flexibility matters, especially when the corners are holding up well enough to let the rest of the scheme breathe. The early returns were promising, even if the bigger test for this group is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Suddenly Have A New Target Decision After Rookie Setback
Omar Cooper Jr. has given the Jets another reason to shuffle their passing-game plans after the rookie wide receiver came up with a week-to-week ankle sprain. The team expects him back within the next four weeks, but for now his absence leaves a gap in an offense that was still trying to settle in around its young players and find more reliable options for targets.
Kenyon Sadiq is suddenly in the middle of that conversation. The tight end missed training camp and the preseason while recovering from a hernia, yet he has already flashed enough early in the season to make the Jets think his role can grow while Cooper is out. For a team looking for answers, the setback has turned into a chance to see how much more the offense can lean on Sadiq in the meantime. [Read more 🡒]
Rex Ryan Just Framed The Aaron Glenn Debate Jets Fans Feel
Rex Ryan had plenty to say after the Jets 23-10 win over the Titans, and much of it reflected the kind of coaching conversation this fan base has been having for weeks. He praised the staff that now has the team moving in a better direction, with Aaron Glenn and Frank Reich both drawing credit as the Jets put together a cleaner, more complete performance on both sides of the ball.
The defensive work stood out again, with the Jets piling up tackles for loss and sacks to keep Tennessee under control. Ryan also singled out Geno Smiths play and took a shot at former coach Robert Saleh, which only sharpened the larger point underneath it all: the Jets are starting to look more stable, and Glenns place in that discussion is only getting louder. [Read more 🡒]