Jets bring back Sterling Shepard after Omar Cooper Jr. injury

The Jets' receiver room got thin fast. Omar Cooper Jr. went down with what's since been described as a high-ankle sprain in the season opener against Tennessee, and he's already without Tim Patrick, who landed on IR before Week 1 with a groin injury. That left Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell and a couple of backups holding down the position — so New York went shopping.

Mike Garafolo

@MikeGarafolo

Back to Jersey for Sterling Shepard: The former #Giants WR is signing with the #Jets’ practice squad, source says. After a stint with the #Texans in camp, Shepard heads to Florham Park.

Sterling Shepard is walking back into Jets country less than a year after his career felt like it might be winding down. The former Giant spent 8 seasons across the river at MetLife before that run ended, then took a swing at a Texans camp roster spot over the summer — a stint that didn't stick, with Houston releasing him on August 30. Now he's back in Florham Park, just on the other sideline.

Getting to that practice-squad spot wasn't a formality. Per Mike Garafolo, the Jets brought in multiple receivers for a Monday workout, and the list wasn't small-name — JuJu Smith-Schuster was reportedly in the building too. Shepard beat him and the rest of the field out for the job.

The workout day ended up being bigger than just one signing. Rich Cimini's rundown of the NFL transaction wire shows the Jets actually signed 3 receivers off that tryout — Shepard, Tyler Johnson and John Saunders — all to the practice squad. Adam Schefter's report lines up with the same names, adding that Johnson brings his own recent Tampa Bay ties into the mix as a vet the Jets clearly liked enough to keep around.

The Jets didn't stop at receiver, either. Jordan Clark, son of longtime NFL safety Ryan Clark, got bumped from the practice squad to the active 53-man roster at cornerback. Clark appeared in 6 games for New York last season and is now positioned to actually contribute in the secondary in 2026.

Mike Garafolo

@MikeGarafolo

The #Jets are signing CB Jordan Clark to the active roster off their practice squad. Clark, the son of former NFL safety Ryan Clark, appeared in six games for the team last year and now in line to contribute this year as well.

None of this fixes Cooper's ankle — he's considered week-to-week with hope of a return inside 4 weeks, according to reporting on the injury. But it buys the Jets bodies at a position that was down to bare bones, and gives them a familiar face in Shepard who at least knows how to run a route in this building, even if it used to be from the other locker room.