Our Jets roster countdown now turns to Xavier Cooper.
Name: Xavier Cooper
Number: 75
Year with Jets: 2nd
Projected Role: Rotational defensive lineman
His 2017: Cooper was waived by the Browns at the end of the preseason. He caught on with the 49ers for the first two months of the season before being waived again. The Jets then signed him. After playing rotationally, Cooper took on a starting role when Muhammad Wilkerson was deactivated for the final three games of the year. And he actually played pretty well with a sack, 2 hits, and 3 hurries in that three game stretch according to PFF. One of those hits led to a Leonard Williams interception.
2018 will be a success if: Cooper builds on a strong end to the season by providing the Jets with a quality depth player on the defensive line. He would likely start the season as a rotational guy and perhaps slide into a more prominent role if there were injuries.
Odds of making the roster: I think the Jets like Cooper, and he ended 2017 on a high note. With that said, three strong late season games are not enough to guarantee a roster spot. With five virtual locks on the defensive line, there aren’t many roster spots available so I can’t go higher than 50/50.