Early Saturday morning at New England Patriots training camp, offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper had to be carted off the field with a right foot injury.
According to Fox 25 News and NFL Network’s Courtney Fallon, New England Patriots offensive guard Jonathan Cooper had to be carted off the field early Saturday morning after suffering an apparent injury to his right foot.
G Jonathan Cooper being helped off the field, ushered to a cart by trainers. Looking at his right foot.
— Courtney Fallon (@CourtneyFallon_) July 30, 2016
2016 is Cooper’s first year with the New England Patriots after two underwhelming seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim selected Cooper with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of the University of North Carolina.
Keim’s selection of Cooper seemed like a risky reach for an interior offensive lineman at No. 7. Cooper spent most of his two years in Glendale flailing on the ground like a carp of out water due to poor footing as an offensive lineman.
Cooper was swiftly traded to the Patriots for New England fan favorite pass rusher Chandler Jones. He only played in 24 games, starting in just 11 games for Arizona in two seasons.
Though many questioned why Patriots head coach Bill Belichick would trade a strong pass rusher in Jones for a bust in Cooper, Belichick has hit more than he has missed in the NFL scouting department, so he can get away with seemingly risky front office maneuvers without too much scrutiny.
That being said, should Cooper have to miss any extended time from his foot injury suffered in camp, this could look like a grossly one-sided trade in favor of Arizona. The Cardinals have the roster to win the NFC and contend for a Super Bowl.
New England has to tread water in Weeks 1-4 without Tom Brady at starting quarterback. Not only do the Patriots have to go all-in on Brady’s backup Jimmy Garoppolo for the first quarter of the 2016 NFL season, potentially not having a former top 10 pick protecting him in the pocket certainly doesn’t help.
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