WATCH: Healthy Jamison Crowder key to jump-starting Jets' offense
Amidst the dog days of summer, Jets quarterback Sam Darnold was emphatically working on the practice field, building chemistry with his newest pass-catcher. He'd only signed with the team five months ago, but it was hard to believe that Jamison Crowder was participating in his first training camp in Florham Park.
Whenever Darnold would complete a big pass, more often than not, Crowder was on the receiving end. Finally healthy, the diminutive wideout proved to be a tough cover for whatever defensive back drew the shortest straw. His stellar play gave Jets fans a glimpse of what they can expect in 2019.
This was undoubtedly a welcome feeling for Crowder, who endured his share of hardship over the past year. Playing in a career-low nine games for the Washington Redskins last season, Crowder recorded just 29 receptions for 388 yards and two touchdowns.
A lingering ankle injury, succeeded by a late-season wrist injury, plagued the 25-year-old receiver for most of last season. To make matters worse, Washington was eliminated from playoff contention for the third straight season.
Prior to last season, Crowder was among the most productive slot receivers in the NFL, averaging 64 catches, 747 yards and four touchdowns. He'd formed an impeccable bond with quarterback Kirk Cousins and evolved into one of the most electric third receivers in the game.
On March 15, 2019, the Jets signed Crowder to a three-year, $28.5 million contract, with $17 million guaranteed. In New York, Crowder joins a receiving corps that includes the ascending Robby Anderson and dependable possession receiver Quincy Enunwa -- giving the Jets the most diverse, dynamic receiving trio they've had in recent years.
While the 5-foot-9, 177-pound jitterbug possesses a tremendous amount of speed, it's his reliability that will ultimately have the biggest impact. Crowder's short-area quickness and explosive burst in and out of breaks enables him to find openings over the middle, and his ability to turn check downs into long gains will serve as a trusty security blanket for Darnold.
A first-down machine, Crowder has mastered the art of getting on top of defensive backs and switching gears to create separation at the top of his routes. Perhaps the most overlooked aspect to Crowder's game, however, is his propensity to open up the vertical passing game.
Though the established chain-mover hasn't seen his training camp success translate into much preseason production, I suspect that offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains will have plenty of tricks up his sleeve when September rolls around.
