Are the New York Jets better at wide receiver this year?
This offseason, the New York Jets second biggest priority (behind offensive line) was improving on the wide receiver depth and overall talent. Despite losing Robby Anderson to free agency, former Jets wide receiver Rob Carpenter thinks the receivers are pretty stacked.
“That's actually a pretty big room,” Carpenter told SportsIllustrated.com’s ‘Jets Country’ this week.
“If you look at the roster itself, there’s a lot of guys on that roster that have to prove themselves again.”
After Anderson departed via free agency for a deal with the Carolina Panthers, the Jets signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Breshad Perriman to a one-year deal. Perriman is a highly touted first-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2015. To date, he has failed to live up to expectations until the latter half of last season in Tampa Bay. In the final month, he started the final three games for Tampa and dominated. He totaled 349 yards receiving and four touchdowns on 17 receptions.
Perriman’s free-agent signing after Robby Anderson departed for Carolina did not deter the Jets from targeting a receiver in the draft. In the second round, general manager Joe Douglas traded down to stockpile draft picks and selected Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims in the second round with the No. 59 overall pick.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Mims is coming off an extraordinary college career at Baylor. He left school ranking third in Baylor history with 28 receiving touchdowns. He’s also fifth and sixth, respectively, in receptions with 186 and receiving yards with 2,925. He had had 11 career 100-yard receiving games.
Mims and Perriman join a group of receivers that includes Jamison Crowder and Josh Docton when training camp opens at the end of the month. The Jets are also hopeful that Quincy Enunwa, has recovered from a neck injury but that is still up in the air.
“Crowder is going to be there,” Carpenter said. “You saw that he has the hook with Sam Darnold. Mims is going to get his chance to play. He's a high draft choice so they’re expecting big things from him. Perriman after the way he ended last year with Tampa, I think he's going to be the guy that they look to replace Robby.”
Carpenter played for the Jets for three seasons from 1992-1994. Carpenter played in 35 games for the Jets, recording 19 receptions for 244 yards and his only NFL touchdown catch.
