This off-season, the New York Jets made revamping their receiving corps a top priority ahead of rookie quarterback Zach Wilson’s arrival. General Manager Joe Douglas brought in a potential number one receiver in Corey Davis, veteran Keelan Cole, and drafted Elijah Moore 32 picks after Wilson. In essence, New York gave Wilson the weapons his predecessor never had.
With all those new faces joining Jamison Crowder and Denzel Mims, the Jets have their deepest receiving corps on paper since the Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, and Brad Smith.
Yet, somehow, many seem to have forgotten about fourth-year wideout Braxton Berrios.
New York Jets Braxton Berrios Deserves More Respect
Since coming to the New York Jets, Braxton Berrios has made his mark as a punt return specialist and Crowder’s backup in the slot. Over 33 career games dating back to 2019, Berrios has 48 receptions for 560 yards and three touchdowns. While these numbers may not blow anyone away, Berrios simply gets the job done by catching 64% of passes that come his way.
As a punt returner, he averages over 10 yards a return on his career with a long of 26. Again, those numbers are not jaw-dropping, but efficient. In other words, there is no reason to just view him as some back of roster receiver. He offers versatility, yard after catch capability, and so much more.
Berrios is More Than a Depth Piece
Let’s just look at what Braxton Berrios did in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers. With Crowder on the COVID-19 list, Berrios saw more usage than anticipated. In the first half, Berrios was without a catch as the offense could barely muster a first down.
Then came the second half, where the Jets saw Berrios become a bit of a sparkplug. Right out of halftime, Wilson targeted Berrios twice, though they resulted in incompletions. However, the final drive is where Berrios made his money. Three receptions for 42 yards, including a 25-yard snag on fourth down to keep the drive alive.
No, Berrios may never be a starter with the Jets. Crowder is now back from the COVID-19 list and will probably return to the starting lineup. Long-term though, Moore can play inside and out, and may very well take over for Crowder by the season’s end. The bottom line – Berrios is more than just a backend receiver. He is a playmaker, and one the Jets are lucky to have acquired.
Braxton Berrios’ Path to New York
When Braxton Berrios first appeared in the NFL, it was with the team’s archrivals, the New England Patriots. A sixth-round pick in 2018 out of Miami, Berrios fit the bill of a special teams return man and slot receiver. A role that is vital to the success of any Bill Belichick team.
After being placed on injured reserve and never appearing as a rookie, the Patriots waived him prior to the 2019 season. Almost immediately, Douglas swooped in to add the 5’9” and 190-pound receiver. And the rest is history.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
