During the first half of the New York Jets’ preseason finale against their crosstown rival, the New York Giants, sixth-round rookie guard Anez Cooper and edge rusher Joseph Ossai each left the game due to injury.
Cooper went down and winced in pain while grabbing his shoulder before heading straight to the locker room. He has been ruled out.
On the other hand, Ossai exited with a foot injury and remains questionable to return, according to the Jets.
After a stellar preseason debut where Cooper graded out as one of the top guards in the league, he took a step back during the team’s Week 2 preseason matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week.
While he got promoted to the second unit after playing with the Jets’ third-team offensive line in Week 1, he struggled, allowing three pressures and a sack throughout 22 snaps.
Ossai made his preseason debut Friday night after beginning training camp on the Jets’ PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list. Before going down, he played 11 snaps, recording two tackles and a quarterback pressure.
It’s never good to see players get hurt in the preseason, but these two injuries in particular are concerning for the Jets.
Offensive line depth is already an area of concern for New York, and Cooper emerged as one of the few intriguing backup options as a sixth-round rookie after a standout preseason debut.
Ossai, meanwhile, is expected to play a key role as one of the Jets’ top defensive ends, particularly against the run.
The Giants currently lead the Jets 10-6 in the second quarter.
