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Former Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr trying to make a play during a college football game against Penn State.
The New York Jets have locked in another rookie.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini revealed on social media that the Jets have “agreed to terms” with wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
Cimini explained that it’s “a four-year deal for the slotted amount of $17.5 million.”
At the time of publication, there is only one rookie from the Jets’ 2026 draft class that remains unsigned: defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. Jackson was selected with the No. 103 overall pick in the fourth round of April’s draft.
With the latest CBA adjustments, holdouts are rarer in the NFL. The stuff that get argued is things like offset language between a player’s representation and the teams.
The Jets getting this deal done eliminates any potential drama and bad headlines. It also ensures that your young player won’t have to miss any critical time during training camp to prepare for their rookie seasons.
All Three 1st Rounders Are Under Contract
Cooper, 22, will turn 23 during his rookie season in 2026. The Jets traded back into the first round to select the former Indiana product with the No. 30 overall pick.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini revealed that the Jets made that move in part because they heard the Buffalo Bills were interested in Cooper. So they got a player they coveted and simultaneously blocked a division rival from landing Cooper.
He spent all four of his collegiate seasons with the Hoosiers. Across his college run, Cooper appeared in 42 games, catching 115 receptions for 1,798 receiving yards, and scoring 22 touchdowns.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranked Cooper as the fifth-best wide receiver in the 2026 NFL draft.
“Cooper will be an attractive draft target for the NFL teams that put high value on ball skills and run-after-catch ability. He projects as an inside-outside receiver who can be weaponized when featured,” Brugler wrote in The Beast.”
“A starter for one-and-a-half years at Indiana, Cooper worked primarily out of the slot (83.3 percent of his 2025 snaps) in offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan’s RPO-heavy scheme. After playing more of a complementary role in 2024, he was the team leader in targets (91), catches (69), and receiving yards (937) for the national champion Hoosiers and Heisman Trophy-winning QB Fernando Mendoza in 2025. His teammate (Elijah Sarratt) was the only Power 4 pass catcher with more receiving touchdowns last season,” Brugler added.
One of the Most Important Additions of the Offseason for the Jets
A key mission for the Jets this offseason was adding more weapons on offense around Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall.
The Jets selected Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr in the first round.
The idea was to take pressure off Wilson as the No. 1 wide receiver and to spread an opposing defense’s attention. With the amount of talent the Jets added this offseason, they have accomplished that mission.
Initially, defenses will likely still focus their attention on Wilson and make these young players prove themselves early in the season. If they do, then defenses will have to start making business decisions on who they decide to cover.
This is a developing story and we’ll provide new details as they become available.
Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.
