Corey Davis was signed by the New York Jets in 2021 free agency. The veteran of the Jets wide receiver group is going into his sixth year in the NFL at 27 years old. Heading into year two with the Jets, Davis is in a position to be productive.
Brief review of 2021 for the New York Jets’ big free agent signing:
In his first year as a Jet, Davis played in nine games as he battled a core muscle injury. Early on in the 2021 season, Davis had some great moments and proved why the Jets signed him to a big deal. In particular, his two big games against the Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans were exciting. He and Zach Wilson had a strong rapport throughout the preseason, which carried over into a few of the early regular-season games before they both got hurt.
Davis concluded the 2021 season with 59 targets, 34 catches (57.6% catch rate), 492 yards (14.5 per catch), and four touchdowns. He averaged 54.7 receiving yards a game. Despite some struggles, Davis was on pace for over 900 yards for the year.
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Skill set:
Davis adds an element of size to the Jets’ wide receiver group. He stands tall at 6-foot-3 and weighs 209 pounds. Davis thrives on the intermediate level with his big size both over the middle and on out-breaking routes toward the sideline. Davis is a crisp route runner. He had some issues with drops last year. However, in years past drops were never a concern for Davis, as shown by his stellar catch rates (62.3% in 2019 and 70.7% in 2020). Expect his hands to get back to being reliable in 2o22.
Big-play threat ability is another aspect of Davis’ game that he offers. Over the last three years, his yards per catch amount has been at least 14. After the catch, Davis can use his size to shed tackles. He is capable of helping in the red zone, where two of his four touchdowns were scored last year. Finally, one of the best attributes Davis provides is his great run-blocking ability.
Projected role:
Davis will have a key role in the Jets’ passing game week in and week out. Expect him to be the featured target on the intermediate level of the passing attack. As a result of his fantastic run-blocking ability, he will get a good chunk of reps in two wide receiver sets. Last year, Davis averaged 6.6 targets per game. Expect him to average around seven and potentially even up to eight this season. Lastly, it will be fascinating to see if he gets more reps in the slot in three-wide receiver sets. With his size, on the inside, he could thrive.
2022 stat projection:
On a 17-game average, Davis should conclude the 2022 season with about 120-125 targets. If so, anticipate him catching 70-75 passes. He should record 900 receiving yards this year (53 per game). With his size, Davis could reel in five or six touchdowns with featured opportunities in the red zone.
Final preview thoughts:
Davis is a talented football player. The greatly improved situation in terms of surrounding talent will only help him this season. He is an experienced veteran still in his prime, destined to bounce back in a big way. His size and experience will make a difference and help Zach Wilson in their second year together. Davis will have a very strong year two with the Jets in 2022.