NY Jets WR Braxton Berrios is grateful for his failed Patriots tenure

The NY Jets found a diamond in the rough when they claimed wide receiver Braxton Berrios off waivers from the New England Patriots shortly prior to the start of the 2019 season.

Originally a sixth-round pick of the Patriots in the 2018 NFL Draft, Berrios missed his entire rookie season due to injury before being waived as part of final roster cuts the following year. That's when the Jets came calling.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Berrios would go on to carve out an important role in both the Jets' offense and special-teams corps. Nearly three years after getting cut, Berrios is grateful for how things ended in New England.

The former Miami standout recently spoke about his brief, unsuccessful time in New England on the latest episode of the Adam Schefter podcast. During the interview, he insisted that getting released by the Patriots was "the best thing that ever happened" to him.

"It felt like the back was against the wall [in New England].“I kept going obviously and found ways to be productive, and obviously in the return game was the first way. I really wanted to make sure I was seen as a receiver as well, and really over the last year or so I’ve gotten a lot more of those opportunities."

- Braxton Berrios

Braxton Berrios has become a very valuable player for the NY Jets

The Patriots were reportedly high on Berrios' future, even after they cut ties with him. Head coach Bill Belichick even called up then-Jets head coach Adam Gase after Berrios was claimed by New York to tell him that his team had gotten a "good one."

New England's loss has been the Jets' gain as Berrios has gone on to become a staple of the Jets' special-teams unit and an underrated part of the team's offense.

The 26-year-old is fresh off a career year that saw him finish with 46 catches for 431 yards and four touchdowns (two receiving). He also earned first-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner after leading the NFL with 30.4 yards per return.

Berrios has been one of general manager Joe Douglas' best value finds, and he was rewarded this past offseason with a new two-year, $12 million extension. Despite rumors that Berrios could depart, the Jets ultimately got a deal done.

It's always nice to find a diamond in the rough in the NFL. It's even sweeter when it comes at the expense of your division rivals.

Braxton Berrios continues to make the Patriots rue their mistake — and he wouldn't have it any other way.