NY Jets: Jamison Crowder 'trending toward' playing in Week 4

The NY Jets could see the return of one of their most important offensive playmakers in Week 4 with wide receiver Jamison Crowder perhaps set to make his season debut.

Head coach Robert Saleh was asked about Crowder's availability for Sunday during Wednesday's press conference and he insisted that the veteran wide receiver was "trending toward" playing in Week 4.

Crowder has missed the first three weeks of the season for multiple reasons. He was held out of Week 1 after testing positive for COVID-19 the week prior but returned to practice ahead of Week 2.

Unfortunately, he injured his groin late in the week and would go on to miss each of the next two games. Crowder returned to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday and the hope appears to be that he will play this week.

That, of course, remains to be seen, however.

Jamison Crowder's return would provide a boost to the NY Jets offense

Crowder has been the Jets' leading receiver in each of the last two seasons and one of the lone bright spots in an otherwise dismal offense. But his role was always expected to decrease in 2021.

The Jets forced Crowder to take a pay cut in the offseason to remain with the team and the additions of players like Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, and Keelan Cole were expected to cut into his playing time.

We haven't exactly been able to see that in action thus far though with Crowder sidelined. In fact, in his place, Braxton Berrios has stepped up as the Jets' leading receiver filling in for Crowder in the slot.

Rather than rotate players like Berrios, Moore, and Cole in the slot, the Jets have stuck with Berrios almost exclusively as their slot receiver. It's been a questionable decision, to say the least, but Berrios has been productive.

It will be interesting to see how the Jets deploy their wide receivers once Crowder does return. Will Berrios still have a role? What about Moore and Cole? Moore could miss this week with a concussion so we might not find out until Week 5 at the earliest.

Either way, Jamison Crowder's return is good news for an offense that has been historically bad over the last two weeks.