3 things to know about Buffalo Bills' new slot receiver
The Buffalo Bills have made a move to replace Cole Beasley as the primary slot receiver by agreeing to terms with veteran Jamison Crowder.
Reports indicate that assuming Crowder passes his physical, his contract is for one year and could be worth up to $4 million.
Back in 2019 when the Bills signed Beasley to a four-year deal worth potentially $29 million, Crowder was also on the free agent market and it is believed that the Bills considered bringing him at that point.
Instead, he left Washington and signed with the Jets for three years and $28.5 million.
Here are three things to know about the 28-year-old Crowder:
1. Great production in Washington
Crowder was selected in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Commanders out of Duke where he played four full seasons and caught 283 passes for 3,641 yards and 23 TDs, production that Blue Devils basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski was likely proud of.
When he came to Washington, Crowder made an immediate impact as a rookie with 59 receptions for 604 yards and 2 TDs, with 34 of his catches resulting in first downs. He finished his four seasons with 221 catches for 2,628 yards and 14 TDs, playing three of those seasons with Kirk Cousins as his quarterback and one with Alex Smith.
2. Injuries marred his tenure with the Jets
Crowder had a strong first season with the Jets when he caught a career-high 78 passes for 833 yards and 6 TDs. Beasley’s first season with the Bills produced 67 catches for 778 yards and 6 TDs.
But over the next two seasons he missed nine games due to a variety of injuries including five games in 2021 with groin and calf problems. Still, when he was on the field, despite the mess the Jets had at quarterback throughout his time there, he still made his presence felt and his three-year term ended with 188 catches for 1,979 yards and 14 TDs.
3. What will his role be with the Bills?
The Bills re-signed Isaiah McKenzie to a two-year deal, presumably to help fill Beasley’s void, but Crowder has far more experience and a bigger resume so if he can stay healthy, it’s likely that Crowder would get the bulk of the snaps when Buffalo goes to three receivers, and McKenzie would continue to fill his role as an optional weapon.
Crowder has proven to be one of the best slot receivers in the league, a player, like Beasley, who is a master at finding the weakness in zone coverage. For his career, his average yards after catch per reception is 5.3, and his catch percentage is 70.8.
Teaming up with Josh Allen could be a great career move for Crowder, especially since he’s on a one-year contract and will be looking for something a little bit longer when he hits the free agent market heading into 2023.
Sal Maiorana can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Jamison Crowder: 3 things to know about Buffalo Bills’ new slot WR
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