The Jets have begun their quest to add weapons around quarterback Sam Darnold.
The team agreed to a deal with free-agent slot receiver Jamison Crowder on Monday, according to a source. The deal is for three years, $28.5 million with $17 million guaranteed at signing.
Crowder, who turns 26 in June, was limited to nine games in 2018 for the Redskins due to an ankle injury. He finished the year with 29 catches for 388 yards and two touchdowns. In 2016-17 when he played a combined 31 games, he had 133 catches for 1,636 yards and 10 touchdowns and clicked with then-quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The 2015 fourth-round pick will give Adam Gase a weapon at slot receiver, something the new Jets coach values. He had it with Jarvis Landry and Danny Amendola during his time as Dolphins coach and Wes Welker when he was the offensive coordinator of the Broncos. The 5-foot-9, 177-pounder is a prototypical slot receiver.
The Jets feel like Crowder is a perfect fit for Gase’s offense with the ability to get open against nickel cornerbacks and linebackers and get good yards after the catch. The Jets like his quickness and ability to run routes both underneath and down the field.
The Jets needed a boost after last year’s receiving corps underwhelmed. Robby Anderson led the receivers with 50 catches for 752 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games. The only other receiver to record more than one touchdown was Terrelle Pryor, who was cut after just six games.
The Jets receiving corps now consists of Crowder, Anderson and Quincy Enunwa. They are not expected to re-sign Jermaine Kearse, who is scheduled to hit free agency.
Crowder should give Darnold a good target. Cousins threw in his direction 103 times in 2017. The Jets have said one of their areas of focus this offseason is to build the team up around Darnold, who is entering his second season.
“There’s definitely some opportunities we think we can improve the team in terms of the talent base, especially through pro free agency and the draft,” Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan said two weeks ago at the scouting combine. “We definitely are excited about the idea of putting players around Sam and that will be one of our focal points this offseason.”
The biggest question with Crowder is his health. He had an ankle injury last year and battled hamstring injuries in 2017 when his touchdown total dropped from seven the year prior to three.
Entering last season, the Redskins were hopeful Crowder could be a huge part of their offense and help new quarterback Alex Smith adjust to Washington.
“Jamison is a quarterback’s dream as far as getting open in the slot and being a great target for [Smith], a friendly target,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said last summer in training camp.
The addition of Crowder should push Enunwa to the outside more. At times last year, Enunwa grew frustrated with how former offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates used him. He felt he was being used too much as just someone to catch screens and short passes and not stretch the field. With Crowder getting open underneath, it should create some deep shots for Enunwa and Anderson.
Receiver has been a weakness for the Jets for several years. They have not had a 1,000-yard receiver since 2015 when Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker both went over the mark.
