Joe Douglas is Excited About Sam Darnold's Playmakers

Even with the vast majority of moves on the offensive side of the ball this offseason focusing on an improved line, there is confidence from New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Adam Gase that there are talented playmakers on this roster.

This, despite the fact that the Jets didn’t invest as much at the wide receiver position this year as they did along the offensive line, where four new starters are projected to start this Sunday at the Buffalo Bills. A concern last year was that quarterback Sam Darnold didn’t have enough talent at wide receiver, leading to a rather plebian offensive output. That same concern now carries into a season that is just days away from kicking off for the Jets.

“I think the weapons around Sam, we’re excited about a lot of guys. This group is going to evolve throughout the year,” Douglas said on Monday.

“Obviously Denzel missing time on the grass, Breshad missing time on time on the grass. We’re excited about this group; we’re excited about the playmakers that we have.”

The Jets investment in the offensive line this offseason was massive, including a first round pick in left tackle Mekhi Becton. It is a sweeping change to a line that was among the worst in the NFL a season ago.

But if the most pressing concern coming into the offseason for the Jets was the offensive line, then immediately thereafter it was the lack of playmakers on the roster. In particular, a dearth at wide receiver.

The team did add some talent at other spots in the offense, including signing veteran Frank Gore and drafting La’Mical Perine to bolster the running back depth behind Le’Veon Bell.

The moves at wide receiver, however, were a bit more understated. Denzel Mims, a wide receiver out of Baylor, was taken in the second round but only after the Jets made a trade to move back 11 picks. Wide receiver Robby Anderson left in free agency and was replaced by Breshad Perriman, who showed a lot of potential in the second half of last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but is far from a big name.

Mims has potential and Perriman showed that he turned a corner last year and is capable of thriving in an expanded role. But both players were injured for large parts of training camp, something that Gase said has dramatically impacted the team thus far.

“I think the injuries in training camp, it was hard to get a good picture of what I think we’re going to end up being as the season evolves, the improvement we’re going to make. The chemistry we’re going to develop as the season goes on,” Gase said.

“I do think getting Chris Herndon back is one of those guys that no one is really talking about; obviously him and Sam have phenomenal chemistry. With Lev and Frank back there and now Perine coming around and really starting to make impact plays. Then you the wideouts in and you’re trying to get that group in sync together [with] Crowder obviously leading the charge. What we have in vision in our minds, we haven’t been able to get to do it on the field because we haven’t been healthy yet. I think the fact that we’re trending in the right direction, health-wise, is really exciting for us.”