The Jets’ preseason opener gives Omar Cooper Jr. an opportunity he cannot waste

Amid a quiet training camp, New York Jets rookie receiver Omar Cooper Jr. might want to do his best Victor Cruz impression on Friday night.

This month marks 16 (!) years since Cruz, then an undrafted receiver on the Giants, shredded the Jets’ secondary for three touchdowns in a preseason clash. From there, he secured a place on the 53-man roster and, after a hamstring injury cost him almost the entire 2010 season, grew into a reliable Pro Bowler.

Cooper, the No. 30 pick this past April, finds himself in a far different scenario, at least at face value. He’s essentially guaranteed a roster spot regardless of how much he factors into Frank Reich’s offense. Adonai Mitchell and Isaiah Williams have turned heads at receiver throughout the offseason, only raising questions about the Jets’ plans for Cooper.

Rookie workouts and training camp don’t match up to the value of in-game action, and Cooper must take advantage of whatever opportunities he gets against the Buccaneers.

The pressure is on New York Jets rookie Omar Cooper Jr. to thrive against the Buccaneers

Even going into training camp, Cooper projected as the No. 3 receiver at best. Garrett Wilson is entrenched as the top dog, and Mitchell had all but officially played himself into the No. 2 role throughout the offseason. Few, if any, should have been surprised when word emerged about how dominant he looked to start the summer.

That’s not to say that Cooper recording six catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns on Friday night would immediately elevate him into the Week 1 lineup. The lack of buzz on the All-Big Ten receiver is telling, though, especially in the social media age. Reporters aren’t limited to a hard word count and inch limit when they’re capable of posting multiple times on X/Twitter or YouTube.

But there are positives, most notably that Cooper hasn’t gone viral for the wrong reasons. Having a quiet and unspectacular camp is far better than developing a reputation for turnovers or drops. Imagine how livid social media would be if Cooper looked slow and unprepared for life in the NFL.

Urging patience isn’t necessarily the answer here. Cooper is not Fernando Mendoza or Ty Simpson, rookie quarterbacks who likely won’t play too often barring an injury. There is no time for a traditional multi-year developmental window, not when he turns 23 in December. Even if we’re not expecting him to get the targets that Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson did as rookies, Cooper must emerge as someone Reich feels comfortable working into the passing game.

We may even get a preview of the Jets’ long-term plans on Friday night, assuming that Cooper will mostly be playing with fellow rookie Cade Klubnik. Now that’s a duo that we can get behind.

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