Sterling Shepard was picking his kids up from school in Florida on Monday when the Jets called.
The team needed a wide receiver after rookie Omar Cooper Jr. suffered a sprained ankle in Sunday’s win over the Titans.
“They said, ‘Can you hop on a flight in a few hours?’” Shepard said. “I was like, ‘I’m there, I’m there.’ So yeah, it’s been a quick turnaround.”
Shepard worked out for the Jets on Tuesday and they signed him to the practice squad.
The former Giant is now trying to get up to speed on the Jets playbook.
Shepard spent the past two seasons with the Buccaneers after playing for the Giants for eight seasons.
Now, he’s back in New Jersey but in Florham Park instead of East Rutherford.
“I actually just sold my house last month here in Jersey, so I was like, ‘What are the chances?’ ” Shepard said.
He said New Jersey is like his second home, so he is excited to return.
The Jets could need him to play Sunday against the Packers.
Shepard spent five days with the Texans in training camp, but other than that he has been working on his own.
“I’ve just got to get caught up,” Shepard said. “I’ve got to get my body back in pads shape. It’s kind of hard to simulate, going against another guy. I’ve been running routes on air by myself for the past year. It’s been a while. It’s just great to have somebody in front of me now.”
Shepard should have chemistry with his new quarterback. He played with Jets quarterback Geno Smith with the Giants and the two live near each other in Florida and have worked out together.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn praised the performance of rookie edge rusher David Bailey in his debut Sunday against the Titans.
Bailey was credited with six pressures and had a sack when he chased Titans quarterback Cam Ward out of bounds.
“I thought he did some good things,” Glenn said. “There are definitely some things that he has to improve on, and that’s going to be every player. He’s a rookie and he’s still learning. I thought he’s shown flashes of him being able to get off the ball and get after the quarterback. Then being able to set an edge and do all the things that we ask those edge guys to do. He’s only going to get better. He’s only going to get better. So, I was happy with what he did.”
Glenn said safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (groin) and Cooper (ankle) are “week to week” with their injuries, which means they won’t play this week.
RB Kene Nwangwu (back) and Edge Joseph Ossai (foot) are also week to week and did not practice on Wednesday. DL David Onyemata was given a vet rest day Wednesday.
Rookie CB D’Angelo Ponds (calf) and LB Jamien Sherwood (knee) were limited.
