The New York Jets will get their first look at rookie cornerback D’Angelo Ponds in a regular-season game Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, but his debut comes as New York prepares to play without several important contributors.
Head coach Aaron Glenn said Friday that Ponds will make his NFL debut after working back from a calf injury that kept him out of the opener. Glenn also confirmed that safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. and edge rusher Joseph Ossai will not play against Green Bay. Edge rusher Will McDonald IV, who was added to the injury report Thursday with an ankle issue, is expected to play.
The updates give the Jets a much clearer Week 2 picture than they had earlier in the week. They also create a meaningful opportunity for Ponds, a second-round pick who was expected to compete for a major role in the secondary before the calf injury interrupted his summer.
D’Angelo Ponds gets his first NFL opportunity
Ponds was the No. 50 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after helping Indiana win the national championship. The Jets valued his competitiveness, ball skills and tackling ability enough to trade down and still select him early in the second round.
His rookie season did not begin on schedule. A calf strain kept him out for much of training camp and prevented him from playing in New York’s Week 1 win over Tennessee. That changed this week. Ponds progressed from limited participation Wednesday to full participation Thursday, and Glenn said Friday that the rookie will be active against the Packers.
That is a significant development for a secondary that has already had to adjust on the fly. Ponds has experience playing both outside and in the slot, and the Jets do not need to force him into one narrow assignment immediately. Jarvis Brownlee Jr. has handled nickel responsibilities, while Andre Cisco and Dane Belton have provided flexibility at safety.
New York’s ability to move pieces around matters because Fitzpatrick will miss the game.
Minkah Fitzpatrick officially ruled out
Fitzpatrick suffered a groin injury only six defensive snaps into the Jets’ season-opening win over Tennessee. FSN previously covered the early expectation that Fitzpatrick and Omar Cooper Jr. could miss multiple games. Friday’s update turns the Week 2 portion of that outlook into a certainty.
The Jets had already been preparing for the possibility that Fitzpatrick would be unavailable. He did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, and Glenn had described him as week-to-week. The defense now goes into the Green Bay game knowing it must replace the veteran safety for a full afternoon rather than waiting on a late decision.
Andre Cisco is the most obvious candidate to absorb additional safety snaps, but Ponds’ return gives defensive coordinator Brian Duker more flexibility in sub-packages. The rookie’s availability allows the Jets to keep more natural cornerback combinations on the field instead of asking one replacement to solve every personnel problem.
Omar Cooper Jr. and Joseph Ossai will also sit
Cooper will miss Week 2 after injuring his ankle in the opener. The rookie receiver has not practiced this week, and his absence was expected after the Jets characterized him as week-to-week.
His injury matters beyond one missing receiver. Cooper was selected in the first round to add another dynamic target to an offense led by Geno Smith, and his absence leaves New York leaning more heavily on Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Isaiah Williams and the rest of the available receiving group.
The Jets recently added veteran Sterling Shepard to the practice squad, but the more immediate Week 2 adjustment is likely to come from players already established in the offense.
Ossai will also miss the Packers game with a foot injury. He did not play in Week 1 and has remained out of practice, so his absence extends into a second straight game.
Will McDonald IV is expected to play
One of Friday’s more encouraging updates involved Will McDonald IV. The edge rusher was added to the injury report Thursday as a limited participant because of an ankle issue, creating a new concern late in the week.
Glenn said Friday that McDonald will play against Green Bay. That matters with Ossai unavailable because the Jets need enough healthy edge depth to keep pressure on Packers quarterback Jordan Love without overloading a small number of defensive linemen.
McDonald recorded a sack in the opener and played a meaningful share of the defensive snaps. Keeping him in the lineup reduces the risk that New York’s pass-rush rotation becomes too thin.
Jason Sanders remains the Jets’ kicker
Glenn also said Jason Sanders will handle kicking duties again in Week 2. Sanders won the job for the opener despite being on the practice squad while Blake Grupe remained on the active roster.
Sanders made three of four field-goal attempts against Tennessee, including kicks from 51 and 52 yards. The Jets had kept the competition open after Week 1, but Friday’s decision gives Sanders another game to strengthen his hold on the job.
Special teams may carry additional weight against Green Bay if the game becomes a lower-possession matchup or if either offense stalls in the red zone.
What Ponds’ debut means for the Jets’ secondary
The biggest long-term development is Ponds finally reaching the field. The Jets drafted him to become more than emergency depth, and his first game gives the coaching staff an opportunity to begin determining where he fits best once Fitzpatrick returns.
Ponds’ college résumé showed a defender comfortable playing aggressively despite being smaller than many outside corners. His ability to tackle, play the football and work in multiple alignments was central to why New York viewed him as a second-round prospect.
Against Green Bay, however, the priority will be simpler: communicate cleanly, avoid assignment errors and hold up against a Packers passing game that can stress the secondary vertically and after the catch.
The Jets are 1-0 and playing their home opener, but the injury list has already forced them to test their depth. Ponds’ return does not erase the losses of Fitzpatrick, Cooper and Ossai. It does give New York one important piece back at exactly the point when the secondary needs another option.
What to watch Sunday
The first question is how large a role Ponds receives in his debut. A rotational assignment would let the Jets manage his workload after the calf injury, while a heavier snap count would signal that the coaching staff believes he is ready to contribute immediately.
The second is how New York replaces Fitzpatrick’s communication and coverage responsibilities on the back end. The third is whether McDonald’s ankle remains a non-issue once the game begins.
For a broader look at New York’s direction under Glenn and Geno Smith, FSN’s Jets franchise outlook examines the larger stakes surrounding this season. Fans can also follow all current coverage on the New York Jets team page.
Sources
- NFL.com: Friday, Sept. 18 league news roundup (September 18, 2026)
- New York Jets: Week 2 injury report vs. Packers (September 17, 2026)
- New York Jets: Secondary prepares for Green Bay with Fitzpatrick injured (September 17, 2026)
- New York Jets: D’Angelo Ponds selected No. 50 overall in 2026 NFL Draft (April 24, 2026)