Jamison Crowder was one of the first free agents the Jets signed in 2019. So, far Crowder is overperforming his contract.
When Jamison Crowder signed his free agent contract with the Jets fans weren’t happy. They saw the big price tag and thought the Jets had overpaid. After all, they were paying Crowder the 26th highest salary of any WR in the NFL. A mark that made no sense based on his production in 2018.
Crowder currently ranks 36th in the NFL this season in receiving yards. However, that number is misleading. Crowder has spent three games away from his starting QB, a three-game stretch that saw him put up a combined 75. With Sam Darnold in the lineup, Crowder has averaged 69.5 yards per game. That’s a staggering difference.
Crowder is on pace to for 85 receptions and 899 receiving yards, both of those would be career-highs. He would need to average 73 yards per game to hit 1,000 yards this season. Crowder has over 75 yards in each of his last three games. his connection with Darnold is real, and it’s very possible that it leads to a 1,000-yard receiving season. Only 21 receivers broke 1,000 yards last year. The last Jet to have a 1,000-yard in a season was Brandon Marshall in 2015.
Crowder has also, been amongst the most clutch receivers in the NFL. Crowder has 14 first down reception on third down this year. That’s tied for seventh in the league with Stefon Diggs, Chris Godwin, DeAndre Hopkins, Julio Jones, George Kittle, James White, and Tyrell Williams. He’s only one first down reception on third down shy of Michael Thomas. Crowder is also on pace to set a career-high in total first down receptions with 43.
What really makes this remarkable is how consistent Crowder has been this year. Crowder doesn’t have a single 100-yard receiving game this season, yet he has a real possibility of breaking 1,000 yards. Crowder also has at least two receptions in every game this season. He has at least three receptions in every game he’s played with Darnold this year.
He’s also still on 26 years of. By the time his Jets contract ends he’ll only be entering his age 29 season. Crowder is slowly creeping into the conversation of best slot receivers in the NFL, and he’s only getting better.