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Listening to him talk about this former Jet . . .
. . . you don’t get the sense that he feels the sky is falling due to his departure.
“Robby (Anderson) obviously was a really good player here,” Douglas said last week. “He helped us tremendously down the stretch last year. I’m happy for Robby that he was able to get the money he got and I wish him well going back to play for his college coach at Temple in Matt Rhule. I wish him well.”
Douglas knows the Jets will live to see another day after this departure. First off, he feels they have pretty good talent in the receiver room right now, regardless of what some in the media will lead you to believe, and also the 2020 draft is loaded at WR. We will get to that in a second.
Douglas is obsessed with improving the Jets’ football culture, and while Anderson seemed to behave well last year, you really need to wonder if the player was an ideal fit for what the GM is trying to build. He was arrested twice in less than a year – in both cases he really lost his cool.
“We are going to try and create the best culture in sports and that all revolves around bringing in the right people,” Douglas said.
Let me make this clear. Douglas said nothing to disparage Anderson, but the player had a sketchy track record during his time with the Jets, it was clear by the negotiation, Douglas wasn’t going to give Anderson a long-term big-money deal. Not sure he was a “Joe D” kind of guy.
And Douglas doesn’t think it’s a drop-off from Anderson to Breshad Perriman, who got half the money Anderson received from Carolina.
“Excited in getting Breshad in here,” Douglas said. “Spent a lot of time scouting Breshad. That was my last draft in Baltimore (when Perriman was picked in the first round) before leaving for Chicago. He has a unique size and speed combo. Obviously his career trajectory was different than most first-rounders. I think you saw it in the back half of Cleveland two years ago, and at then end of [2019], you’d be hard-pressed to find a receiver who had better numbers than Breshad. Really excited about his speed and ability to take the top off the defense. Feel like he can come in here and make an impact.”
Perriman has Anderson’s 4.35 speed, but has a much more powerful build, at 6-2, 215, and Anderson is 6-3, 175. Anderson is listed at 6-3, 190, but is actually 175. How do I know? He said it to the media. Perriman is more equipped to battle for 50-50 passes in traffic than Perriman.
Aside from Perriman, Douglas is very high on Jamison Crowder, who had a terrific first season with the Jets, with 78 catches and 6 touchdowns.
Douglas also feels former Washington Redskins first-round pick Josh Doctson can help Gang Green.
“He’s a guy who has really good balls skills and can compliment what we have,” Douglas said.
Also in the mix is shifty slot receiver Braxton Berrios, who was in the top five in punt returning last year. along with former Michigan star Jehu Chesson, along with speedsters Vycint and Jeff Smith. There are others.
I’m not an elitist. I don’t have a problem saying that guys like Doctson, Berrios, Chesson and both Smith’s can help the Jets. Maybe I’m not cool.
And don’t leave out Chris Herndon when talking about passing game targets. He looked special as a rookie, but last year he only played two games, due to a suspension and then injuries.
This isn’t to say the Jets won’t pick a receiver high in the draft, but it might not be with the 11th pick. This receiver draft is SO deep, the Jets could trade back and also get a starting receiver.
Keep an eye on Atlanta at 16 looking to trade up, with the Jets at 11 a possible target.
April 15, 2020
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