Getty Buffalo Bills wide receiver Jamison Crowder catching some passes during practice.
The New York Jets certainly added a lot of fun toys to both sides of the ball this offseason.
Although in the same breath they also lost several key pieces to other teams during the free agency bidding process. One of those veterans could come back to haunt them in 2022.
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Revenge on the Mind
Jamison Crowder more than lived up to the free-agent contract that he signed with the Jets back in 2019.
In two of his three seasons he led the team in receiving yards and proved to be a reliable security blanket for whoever was playing quarterback:
- 188 receptions
- 1,979 receiving yards
- 14 touchdowns
Although when he reached unrestricted free agency the former Duke product joined the Buffalo Bills this offseason. It was a one-year deal for $2 million and provided him the opportunity to face his old team twice during the upcoming 2022 campaign.
On Monday, June 27 Bills reporter Alaina Getzenberg listed Crowder as a “surprise offseason standout” for ESPN:
“Crowder looked solid during offseason work in his first offseason with the Bills and might have found a good fit in Buffalo.”
The 29-year-old wideout still has plenty of gas left in the tank and is among the favorites to replace Cole Beasley’s production in the slot.
A motivated veteran that has been suddenly inserted into one of the hottest offenses in all of football manned by Josh Allen could prove to be a dangerous combination next season.
Who the Heck Is Playing in the Slot?
With Crowder gone, who is going to start in the slot for the Jets?
When head coach Robert Saleh was asked about it back in June he said that as a coaching staff we are still “working through it”:
#Jets HC Robert Saleh said they’re ‘working through it’ in terms of who will be their slot receiver in 2022 + highlighted the cool thing about the WR room is the ‘versatility’ & they can play anyone in the slot: 🎥 @nyjets #TakeFlight #JetsCamp
The three likely starters at wideout are Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, and Garrett Wilson. All of them are capable of playing inside and out according to Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
Davis would be a very interesting option with his bigger frame (6-foot-3) and ability in contested catch situations.
While Moore and Wilson’s similar body profiles and games could suit them well.
Additionally, they retained wide receiver, Braxton Berrios, on a two-year deal this offseason and he has ample experience in that role. Berrios will likely serve in a gadget role and will relieve whoever is tired on a series-to-series basis.
It seems unlikely that he would win the starting slot position outright because that would mean one of those other talented receivers would end up on the bench for more snaps than you’d like.
Although whoever does end up getting the most reps there could be a unique funnel for this LaFleur offense.
For folks wondering where to invest their fantasy football dollars, that is going to be a battle to watch during training camp.
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Ex-Jets Leading WR Could Come Back to Haunt Them