Former No. 7 overall pick Jonathan Cooper is looking to revitalize his NFL career in New England after a disappointing first three seasons with the Cardinals. His training camp with the Patriots hit an early snag in the road though.
The offensive lineman was carted off the field on Saturday. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport added that Cooper has been diagnosed with a plantar fascia strain and will be off his feet for a bit, per a source.
A first-round pick in 2013, Cooper broke his leg in the preseason a few months later, derailing his rookie campaign. He was one of two pieces (along with a second-round pick) dealt to the Patriots in the Chandler Jones trade.
Cooper was battling for a starting job along the right side of the offensive line, so this could be a tough break for someone looking to make the most of his second chance.
Here are the other injuries we are monitoring Saturday:
- There were a few nicks and bruises in the desert today for the Cardinals. Arizona coach Bruce Arians said first-round selection Robert Nkemdiche suffered a high ankle sprain, and that the rookie defensive lineman will miss a couple weeks. The Cardinals are banking on Nkemdiche and newly acquired Chandler Jones to beef up a pass rush for an already stingy defense. The Ole Miss product's recovery timetable goes up right against Arizona's preseason opener, as the Cardinals face the Raiders on August 12.
The secondary also suffered a loss, as Cardinals cornerback Mike Jenkins broke a bone in his hand. Arians is unsure how long the corner will be sidelined.
- Falcons coach Dan Quinn said he will not rush Julio Jones back after the wideout tweaked his knee on the first day of camp. Jones participated in individual drills Saturday, per the team.
- Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who underwent shoulder surgery this offseason, said he's "not overly concerned about it." Per the team's website, Kuechly said he has made some hits and is hopeful everyone acknowledges he is healing well.
- The Jets have been in the news quite a bit recently thanks to a certain quarterback signing, but now one of the team's biggest stars on defense has not practiced yet. Cornerback Darrelle Revis (wrist), as expected, did not participate in training camp on Saturday, including positional drills.
- Seattle's 2015 injuries are carrying over into this year's training camp. Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham (knee) and running back Thomas Rawls (ankle) will both start training camp on the PUP list. The expectation is that both players will be ready for the start of the season.
- Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson will be fine after tweaking his hamstring, according to Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer. Wideout Cordarrelle Patterson (shoulder) is expected to miss a few days of practice.
