NY Jets expected to let Jamison Crowder walk in free agency

The NY Jets have decisions to make on a number of key internal free agents this offseason, and it appears as though they've already made up their mind on one of them — wide receiver Jamison Crowder.

Crowder has been a staple of the Jets' offense for the last three years since joining the team as a free agent prior to the 2019 season. One of the few free-agent hits from former general manager Mike Maccagnan's infamous tenure, Crowder has been an important part of the Jets' offense.

However, with the veteran wide receiver set to hit free agency this offseason, the team seems unlikely to re-sign him. That notion was supported by D.J. Bien-Aime of the NY Daily News who recently reported that the Jets were "likely" to let Crowder walk in free agency.

This shouldn't come as a surprise given Crowder's decreased role this season. The writing has really been on the wall since last spring.

The NY Jets were always expected to let Jamison Crowder walk in free agency

Signed to a three-year, $28.5 million contract in 2019, Crowder was the Jets' leading receiver in each of his first two seasons with the organization. He put together a career year in 2019 finishing with 78 catches for 833 yards and six touchdowns.

Crowder was still a centerpiece of the offense in 2020 and one of the lone bright spots in what was a downright abysmal year for the team. Many assumed he would retain a similar role in the offense heading into the 2021 season.

However, that changed when the Jets drafted Ole Miss wide receiver Elijah Moore in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Suddenly, Crowder was more of a luxury and the Jets forced him to take a pay cut in the offseason just to stay on the roster.

His role expected diminished as Crowder finished with just 51 catches for 447 yards and two touchdowns — the second-least productive season of his career.

Crowder is still a good player and he should garner plenty of interest on the open market, but with the Jets looking to get younger and better at the position, there was always little chance the team would consider bringing him back.

Jamison Crowder has served the Jets well over the last three seasons, but his time with the franchise has expectedly come to an end.