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After bringing him in for OTAs and training camp, the New York Giants decided to release veteran wide receiver Jamison Crowder at the 53-man cutdown in late August.
The former two-time receiving leader of the New York Jets (in 2019 and 2020) has struggled to find a steady NFL role after parting ways with the organization in 2022. He did manage to find a Week 1 job in a short amount of time, however, reuniting with the Washington Commanders on a practice squad contract on September 6.
On September 9, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport announced that Crowder would immediately be elevated onto the active roster for the Commanders’ regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
Hard to Root Against Ex-Jets’ Jamison Crowder in 2023
Crowder was always a fan favorite target of Sam Darnold during his first two campaigns, and then Zach Wilson after that. It was hard to root for him upon leaving New York, being that the veteran signed with the division rival Buffalo Bills — and then the cross-town rival Giants — but Jets fans will likely be happy to know that “Crow” is with Washington once again.
The slot receiver had his best NFL seasons with Washington and the Jets. Although he had more total yardage with the former, he lived up to his contract as a member of the Green & White with a career-high 49.5 yards per game as a member of the organization.
His healthiest Jets campaign was in 2019, appearing in all 16 games with a career-high 78 catches for 833 receiving yards (second most of career). Having said that, one could argue that Crowder was on pace to surpass those marks in 2020 if not for injury. He finished with 699 receiving yards off 59 catches that year, with a single-season career-high of 58.3 yards per game.
At age 30, Crowder will look to have a bounce back campaign with the Commanders in 2023.
Jets Have Moved on From Jamison Crowder at WR
First with Elijah Moore and Garrett Wilson, and then with Randall Cobb, Mecole Hardman and Xavier Gipson, the Jets have done well filling Crowder’s previous NYJ role as slot-receiver extraordinaire.
This is Aaron Rodgers’ offense now, and the comfortability of Cobb would have superseded any possibility of a Crowder reunion this season — for those that still have a soft spot for the vet.
The pair of professionals are a similar swap, in all honesty. Cobb is a few years older at age 33, but he’s never accumulated less than 375 receiving yards in a single season — and typically surpasses 400. He’s also appeared in 12-plus games in nine out of his 12 NFL seasons.
Crowder, on the other hand, is more of a question mark going forward. Coming off a broken ankle in October of 2022 and numerous ailments before that, it’s fair to wonder how much his body has left in the tank.
Like Cobb, he’s struggled with nagging injuries throughout his career, but has mostly stayed on the field despite public perception with 12-plus appearances in six out of eight NFL seasons. With Washington again, Crowder will likely act as an experienced safety net for second-year QB Sam Howell and a veteran punt returner should they need one.
The NFL has the tendency to move on from players in the blink of an eye, but some have a unique enough skill set where they outlast the masses. For the Cobbs and Crowders of the league, 2023 could be one final ride — but if it is, what a memorable journey it’s been.
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Ex-Jets 2-Time Receiving Leader Finds Week 1 Job After Release: Report