Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images
Free-agent wide receiver Jamison Crowder agreed to a one-year contract with the New York Giants on Thursday, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.
The 29-year-old Crowder is set to enter his ninth NFL season after stints with the Washington Commanders, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.
Crowder appeared in only four games with the Bills last season because of an ankle injury that landed him on injured reserve.
Washington originally selected Crowder in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft out of Duke, and he spent his first four seasons with the organization.
He enjoyed highly productive years in both 2016 and 2017, finishing with 67 receptions for a career-high 847 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016, and 66 catches for 789 yards and three scores the following year.
Crowder subsequently spent three years with the Jets, and his best campaign in New York came in 2019 when he caught a career-high 78 passes for 833 yards and six touchdowns.
While Crowder appeared in at least 15 games in four of his first five seasons, he has been ravaged by injuries ever since.
Crowder missed four games each in 2020 and 2021, and he missed a career-high 13 games last season.
The Bills signed Crowder to a one-year deal in hopes that he could replace Cole Beasley as the team’s top slot receiver, but he finished with only six catches for 60 yards and no touchdowns in four games.
Now, Crowder is set to join a Giants team that could offer him the opportunity to play a sizable role in the offense.
The Giants don’t have a clear go-to wide receiver, but they do have a great deal of quantity in their receiving corps, so Crowder will be faced with some competition.
In addition to Isaiah Hodgins and second-year man Wan’Dale Robinson remaining under contract, the Giants re-signed Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard in free agency, and they signed former Indianapolis Colts wideout Parris Campbell.
Superstar running back Saquon Barkley and current free-agent wide receiver Richie James tied for the team lead last season with 57 receptions, while Slayton led the team with 724 receiving yards.
Despite the lack of top-flight weapons in the passing game, head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka helped guide quarterback Daniel Jones to his best NFL season in 2022, as he completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
The Giants have acquired star tight end Darren Waller in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders and added to their receiver depth this offseason, which could help Jones take yet another step.
If Crowder can remain healthy, he has a chance to become one of Jones’ most-trusted receivers because of his surehandedness.
Source : Bleacher Report