For four weeks, Jonathan Cooper's foot injury kept him off the field. Now, he's off the Patriots' roster.
The guard was released by New England on Saturday. Cooper arrived in Foxborough via an offseason trade with the Cardinals that sent defensive end Chandler Jones to the desert. While Cooper is now on the waiver wire, Jones has compiled four sacks, 15 tackles and is on pace for a career high in both statistics.
Arizona selected Cooper as the seventh-overall pick in 2013. However, he started just 11 games over two seasons and was the league's 50th-ranked guard in 2015, as ranked by Pro Football Focus.
With Cooper's release, the trade can now be evaluated as a wash for the Pats. In exchange for one of the league's emerging pass rushers, Bill Belichick and Co. acquired fourth-round wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell and third-round guard Joe Thuney, who, while they both look like franchise players in the making, are nowhere near Jones' caliber.
NFL Network's Courtney Fallon added that the hope is Cooper clears waivers and can return to the Patriots' active roster. In the meantime, the Pats have promoted defensive lineman Woodrow Hamilton.
