Here is a list of the No. 2 and No. 3 receivers who have come and gone as complements to Garrett Wilson during his standout Jets career: Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Denzel Mims, Allen Lazard, Xavier Gipson, Davante Adams, Mike Williams and John Metchie.
Defensive coordinators are not exactly trembling.
Except for the Hall of Fame-bound Adams — a friction-causing, 11-game, Hail-Mary rental to appease Aaron Rodgers in 2024 — none of the others had more than 536 yards in a season despite the extra coverage drawn to Wilson. And none had more than 1,028 in their Jets careers, which points to the year-to-year revolving door in the receiver corps.
Adonai [AD] Mitchell, who seemed to finally find his NFL footing after a November trade from the Colts, and rookie Omar Cooper Jr. are hoping to be Wilson’s long-term running mates.
“I’m very dynamic with the ball after the catch,” Cooper said. “I’ve been learning from Garrett and AD, so that’s also making my game better. AD is a very fast guy, tough, can run routes. It makes it easier for Garrett — he won’t have too much of the attention. We have to continue to put the work in and grow. When the season comes, we’ll see how it really looks.”
Receiver has proven in recent years to be a relatively easy position for top talents to make the college-to-pro transition. The Rams’ Puka Nacua set the rookie receiving yardage record (1,486) in 2023, four receivers topped 1,000 yards in 2024 and the Panthers’ Tetairoa McMillan in 2025 became the third receiver in the last five years — including Wilson – to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Cooper was a first-round draft pick after leading the Big Ten with 21.2 yards per catch in 2024 and catching 13 touchdowns last season from No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. He grew up as a fan of Wilson’s at Ohio State.
“It all depends on the offensive coordinator and the players around you,” Cooper said. “If you are in the right scheme and the coach likes what you can do, he’s going to put you in the best place to be productive. As of right now, what we’ve been doing, I feel like Coach Frank [Reich] is putting me in the right positions, and I feel like that’s what helps you have a productive rookie season.”
After three straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career, Wilson led the Jets last season with 395 yards — the lowest team-high total in the NFL since the 1992 Rams — despite his final catch coming Oct. 12. He missed 10 of the last 11 games, so he is new to playing with both Mitchell (24 catches for 301 yards and two touchdowns in eight games post-trade) and Cooper.
“It really opens us up to any time you want to try to double Garrett,” head coach Aaron Glenn said. “I’m happy exactly where we’re at on a talent level when it comes to the offense. I know Garrett is. So, we just have to continue to improve every day, that once you get that one-on-one [matchup], you have to win it. Our guys know that, and I expect them to do that.”
Mitchell and new quarterback Geno Smith connected twice during Thursday’s practice, while Smith overthrew Cooper down the field on what might have been a route miscommunication.
“AD, it’s just a ticking time bomb with him,” Wilson said. “Last year, to come in halfway through the season and pick up the offense and have some success and make plays down the field, that’s no easy task. I thought he handled it really well.
“He made some plays that he’s capable of, but based on when he got there, you might not ask of somebody. With this offseason and the OTAs he had, that boy can play.”
The Jets stuck with their development plan and resisted the big free-agent investment — like Davis, Lazard and Williams — or the splashy trade like Adams in an offseason when their three AFC East rivals all made big changes at receiver and quality No. 2 receivers moved around the league. In years past, you might have heard the Jets mentioned as potential desperation landing spot for free agent Stefon Diggs or disgruntled Brandon Aiyuk.
Not right now.
“It’s fun watching [AD], then it’s my turn, then it’s Omar,” Wilson said. “When Sunday comes, let’s make plays on the outside and do it when the world is watching.”
