By: Jeremy Trottier

The New Orleans Saints have had one of the more interesting offseasons in 2021, mainly because of the outgoing pieces more so than the incoming ones.  With the loss of Emmanuel Sanders in free agency and now Michael Thomas to injury for 12-14 weeks from now, they are in a real predicament at the WR spot.  In this article, I will be going over the three reasons as to why the Saints should look to trade for New York Jets receiver Jamison Crowder.

Contract Price

One of the biggest limiters for the Saints right now would be cap space, despite having roughly 11 million right now to spend, they have many holes to fill both in depth and in starting even with that amount of money.  Jamison Crowder only has one year left on his deal, which would allow the Saints to either work on an extension if he proves useful or let him walk after this season with no dead cap repercussion.  

Looking specifically at his contract details, Crowder’s cap hit for 2021 will be a little over six million dollars, which fits well within the Saints budget.  This would allow them to have no issue trading for him, especially if they were to offload extra cap space with players in the trade, potentially along the lines of Andrus Peat to help the Jets offensive interior.  

WR1 Potential

Jamison Crowder has played WR1 before, there is no doubt about that.  He has also played WR2 before, which would allow him to play alongside Michael Thomas when he returns.  This type of versatility from a receiver is highly valued, as they know that at any time they can be moved behind another receiver, and can accept that.

Crowder has been really effective with his targets, having a 66.3% catch rating and 11.6 yards per reception average shows he has the quality to produce at a high level if given the targets to do so.  The two seasons he had over 100 targets he had 750+ yards each season, a 64% catch rating, and more than 35 first downs each season.  Despite not being a big-name receiver in the league, his productivity and efficiency per reception is very good.

Scheme Fit

Crowder would really be an interesting fit on the Saints because he fits their old scheme with many short to intermediate passes across the middle.  With that said, the development of a new quarterback in NOLA may change that, Jameis Winston would likely look more to the deep ball than Drew Brees has in recent years, and Taysom Hill would focus more on play-action and reverses.  

Crowder fits each of these well, as his speed allows him to carry well into the deeper portions of the field and make big plays happen with little to no issue.  This speed also would translate well to end-around and reverses as he could get to the sideline quickly and open up a lane alongside it.  Being able to play in an offense tailored by Sean Payton, one of the more prominent offensive minded coaches recently would definitely be something to benefit Crowder as he would be used in every way possible to improve his stat totals and improve the team. 

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Patrick Mahomes hasn’t “requested a trade”, but he’s been longing for a number two wide receiver since arriving in Kansas City. The Kansas City Chiefs offense has been lighting up the scoreboard, with or without top-end production from the WR2 spot. Yet, I believe the Chiefs could significantly improve their offense’s ceiling of explosion in any situation of unknown circumstances (like a Mahomes injury), or elite barricade in the way (Buccaneers defense). I believe a WR2 upgrade would prove huge dividends for Mahomes’s offense, especially with the loss of Sammy Watkins.

Matter of fact, I believe Andy Reid and the Chiefs haven’t put enough focus into the situation around Mahomes. They literally asked the highly gifted QB which RB he wanted the team to draft in the 2020 draft, which did have a sizable outcome in the pick. In the 2021 offseason, they’ve taken a step backward with the WR talent on the roster. The Chiefs are one injury to Tyreek Hill or Travis Kelce in a big situation for a very difficult course to be presented. Even with Kelce and Hill dazzling defenses, the second go-to target on the perimeter appears to be Mecole Hardman, who ousted a mere 560 yards/four receiving touchdowns last season. The WR situation is unequivocally a concern. 

The Chiefs ought to improve the WR situation, but where should they look? The Chiefs have been favored by many analysts to ink free agent Golden Tate. Tate would provide immediate dividends, but he’s not near the same level of aging slot WRs like Cole Beasley or Emmanuel Sanders. Father time has caught up with Tate, as the once Seahawks stud recorded 388 yards in 2020 — his lowest mark since 2011.

The Chiefs should hone in on a WR2 that’s very underrated, much younger than “overhyped” FA options, and on a team that’s rebuilding their unit: Jamison Crowder. Crowder would arguably be the best value acquisition for the Chiefs passing offense.

Crowder, who was once a savior for the Jets offense, now finds himself slowly being phased out of the Jets WR plans. New head coach Robert Saleh brought over Corey Davis, Keelan Cole, and recently drafted Elijah Mitchell in the second round. Crowder will compete for the starting slot role, but it’s unmistakably Mitchell’s job to lose as he gets situated to the pro level.

Crowder is a quality “starting” player and he would more than likely find himself back on the depth chart, as the 2021 year moves forward. The Jets YAC wideout ousted a career-high 58.3 YPG and six receiving touchdowns in 12 games on a very atrocious Jets offense last season. The Jets WR is an incredible weapon for any team and he’s only 27 years old — the same age as Tyreek Hill. If Crowder doesn’t get moved this off-season, it’s hard to paint a picture where he isn’t a trade candidate at the ritual trade block time next season. The Chiefs should acknowledge a good fit and puzzling outlook for the veteran wideout, then proceed to strike a trade with a mid to late-round pick for the WR that would be a big factor for the Chiefs late season battles.

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The New York Jets can’t get out of their own way. They managed to lose the right to the number overall draft selection. Sam Darnold is still on the roster, and it looks like Jamison Crowder is on the chopping block. Here are three landing spots for Jamison Crowder.

I understand Crowder isn’t the most exciting player to watch or to talk about, but the fact is Crowder was the Jets’ most productive receiver leading the jets in both catches and yards. I understand it wasn’t pretty with 59 catches for 699 yards. Frankly, if that’s your top receiver, you have significant issues in the passing game.

Those issues aren’t going to disappear by keeping Crowder on the roster at the cost of $10 million this year. Not when the dead cap hit is one million dollars. What kind of contract will Crowder demand?

I don’t know if Crowder is going to have any negotiating leverage. He’s going to be 28 years old this summer, which isn’t old for a wide receiver by any means. That said, we know what Crowder is at this point. At 5’9″ and 178 lbs, he is not an “X” receiver in the NFL.

Jamison Crowder may not command the money or the ball like an NFL number one receiver, but he will improve an offense in the right role. There are a few teams that I believe Crowder would be an excellent fit with the systems those teams run.

New England Patriots

The first and most obvious place for me is the New England Patriots. Julian Edelman just has not been able to stay on the field, and he’s 34 years old. Edelman has only played 16 games twice in the last six years. He is at that point in his career where we often see a significant decline in performance.

Jamison Crowder is a perfect fit for this offense. I realize this isn’t the same Patriot offense that we have seen in the past with Tom Brady. That doesn’t change the fact, and the Patriots still prefer to attack the middle of the field. You do that with tight ends and slot receivers.

The New England Patriots will almost certainly address the tight end position, and there are a few players for them to target. The Patriots also need help at the wide receiver position. N’Keal Harry is starting to look more and more like a bust. Jakobi Meyers has flashed at times, but he needs support from other parts of the passing game to be effective.

Crowder also brings some veteran leadership with whatever team he would join. The Patriots could also use some help in that department, regardless of who the quarterback ends up being.

As far as what kind of contract would Crowder demand? It’s tough to say, but the Patriots have not spent much of the team’s salary cap on receivers. Currently, among nine receivers, the Patriots are paying just over $11 million.

Think about that for a second. Crowder was due to be paid $10 million this year, and his contract is on par with John Brown as an example. It’s not an outlandish contract, and the Patriots are paying a total of $11 million on nine players, half of which I challenge most diehard fantasy players to name.

I don’t know if New England could bring Crowder in for six to seven million a year, but they should consider paying him the $10 million Crowder was on scheduled to be paid. He would elevate this wide receiver room instantly. Jamison Crowder is a perfect fit for this system.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Another team that could use a little bit of a veteran presence on the team and gains a dependable wideout like Crowder is the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dede Westbrook is currently a free agent. Laviska Shenault and DJ Chark are very much different receivers than Crowder, but they all could compliment each other well.

The Jags have the number one overall pick, and it looks like they will be selecting the highly acclaimed Trevor Lawerence. There are three things the Jags need to do for Trevor Lawerence to help ensure his success.

One, be sure to protect him with a solid offensive line, don’t be like the Cincinnati Bengals. Two, have a decent run game to lean on, don’t ask Trevor to do more than he needs to; he is a rookie. Lastly, get him weapons to throw to.

Shenault is a very talented rookie that Jacksonville can move around and find creative ways to get him the ball. I think Chark is an excellent receiver, but I don’t think he’s talented enough to be a passing game’s focal point. Chark needs a capable receiver on the field to help take the pressure off of him.

Crowder can do all the things the Jags are missing in the passing game and bring a veteran’s presence to a very young team. With his quick and precise route running, Crowder will improve the players in that wideout room.

Miami Dolphins

The last team I will mention here is the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins are another young team that could use some veteran experience on the ball’s offensive side.

Devante Parker has mainly been a letdown and, at the same time, flashed with brilliance. It appears to me Parker flourishes with volume, but forcing your passing game through one receiver never works.

Preston Williams is still a wild card, and he has also looked very good at times. That in itself isn’t all that surprising; Williams fell in the draft due to off-the-field issues.

Regardless of all of this, Crowder would be replacing the work that Jakeem Grant and Albert Wilson perform. Just like their teammates, both players have looked good on the field. Yet, neither has been able to stay on the field.

Crowder would give the Dolphins some in the passing that would demand targets with his skill set and ability to get open regularly. He would compliment the work that Parker and presumably Williams would do.

Miami is in the same boat as the Jags are; the Dolphins have a young quarterback with many unknowns at the skill positions. The positions you want to make sure you have quality players at for your young quarterback to lean on.

Crowder has found success playing on bad teams for the most part, but it wasn’t from his lack of quality play. Crowder has had only one season where he didn’t receive at least 78 targets and 59 receptions. That one season, he only played nine games.

Crowder is a complimentary player in any offense, but he is a high-quality player at that position. I don’t know if anyone is willing to pay Crowder what he believes he is worth. I struggle to believe that any of these teams will pay Crowder $10 million for this year, especially with the reduced salary cap.

I can’t speak for Crowder, and I will not pretend I know what he is thinking. I do know that he is going to want to play. Crowder is only going to be 28 years old at the start of the season, and he looks like he still has some good years ahead of him. After all, he is six years younger than Edelman, and I believe Crowder could have been as effective in that Patriot system.

I think a team should take a shot on Crowder, and my money says if Crowder wants a chance to play and show what he has, these three teams are excellent landing spots. The other thing all of these teams have in common? All these teams are well below the salary cap and have the luxury to spend some money. So far below the cap, they have the luxury even to take a risk with a player like Crowder.

Please be sure to check out my other pieces along with all things football by the team at Profootballmania.com. Follow me on Twitter for other fantasy football thoughts and questions, and feel free to hit me up there! @BodaciousBeer

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