NY Jets Optimistic Roster Breakdown: WR Breshad Perriman

NY Jets’ wide receiver Breshad Perriman will have the biggest opportunity of his career in 2020.

The NY Jets are set to enter the 2020 season with a major question mark at the wide receiver position. And one player they will be counting on to exceed expectations is free-agent signing Breshad Perriman.

Perriman signed with the Jets on a one-year, $8 million deal in the offseason mere hours after it became apparent that the team was not going to re-sign Robby Anderson. The Jets immediately pivoted and made Perriman their instant replacement.

A former first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens back in 2015, Perriman missed all of his rookie season dealing with a knee injury. That would turn out to be a precursor of what was to come as Perriman would last just two more seasons in Baltimore never accomplishing much.

A short tenure in Cleveland the following year didn’t do much to shed his bust label, but it wasn’t until he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019 that he finally tapped into some of the potential he showed back in college.

After an uneventful start to the season, Perriman exploded on to the scene late in the season filling in for the injured Mike Evans in Tampa Bay’s high-powered offense. He managed to turn his late-season success into a fresh new contract with the Jets this offseason.

Now with the biggest opportunity of his career, the Jets will look for Perriman to build off of the momentum he amassed in his lone season with the Buccaneers.

Optimistic stats projection

59 receptions, 863 receiving yards, 8 receiving touchdowns, 14.6 yards per reception

*All optimistic stats projections are based on a 16-game output because….optimism*

Perriman managed career-highs in every receiving category last season in Tampa Bay, but for the majority of the season, it didn’t seem as though that would be the case.

Through the first 12 weeks of the season, Perriman totaled just 11 catches for 139 yards playing a limited role in the Buccaneers’ offense. But once Evans went down, Perriman stepped up to the plate.

Over the final five weeks of the season, the 26-year-old recorded 25 catches for 506 yards meaning that somewhere between 70-80 percent of his production came in that five-week period.

Now, it would be foolish to expect Perriman to keep that pace up — especially in a Jets offense that doesn’t exactly maximize deep threats. But what if Perriman can not only stay healthy, but carry over that momentum from last season?

Sure a stat line consisting of 59 catches, 863 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns seems unlikely, but we’re being optimistic here. And Perriman has the potential to have a big year with the Jets.

Let’s take a look at how it could happen.

How Breshad Perriman could find success with the NY Jets in 2020

Perriman succeeded with the Buccaneers last season once he was asked to play in Mike Evans’ role. Well, with the Jets, he’ll be asked to fill the role that Robby Anderson has filled over the past few years.

Now, Anderson’s role in Adam Gase’s offense is hardly as appealing as Evans’ role in Bruce Arians’ offense. But that doesn’t mean that Perriman can’t find successes regardless.

More from The Jet Press

The number one thing will be establishing chemistry with Sam Darnold early on. The lack of a true offseason to get acquainted with each other won’t help matters, but Perriman should still have some time to familiarize himself with his new quarterback.

With the exception of the returning Jamison Crowder and Chris Herndon, Darnold doesn’t really have any receiver on the team he has any experience throwing to. If Perriman can become that guy early on, it will make for a much more productive season.

Second, Perriman must continue to develop his skills as a route-runner. For as much flack as Anderson got from fans, the former undrafted free agent was able to develop into much more than a one-trick pony by the end of his tenure with the Jets.

Aside from being one of the most dangerous route-runners in the NFL, Anderson was particularly effective on intermediate routes working the boundary. Perriman is much less accomplished in that regard.

He’s still only 26-years-old despite being drafted over five years ago and has had to deal with injuries throughout his career. The former UCF star showed signs of growth last season — especially with his catch-rate — and will hopefully continue to do so with the Jets.

Next. NY Jets: 4 players who should have a lower Madden rating this year

On the surface, Perriman appears to be a downgrade from Anderson. But if a few things go his way, the former first-round pick could be more productive than his predecessor ever was in New York.

Home/Jets News