As PFF rips Jets' wide receivers, here's how the group could surprise during 2020 NFL season

When GM Joe Douglas went into his first offseason with the Jets, he knew that he needed to protect Sam Darnold and give him weapons to work with on offense. He even promised Darnold's parents that he would do both of those things.

So with the offseason all but over (the Jets still have cap space to work with) and training camp around the corner, Douglas did revamp the entire offensive line that should be much better than last season. But will the receiving corps improve upon its 2019 campaign?

Pro Football Focus doesn’t think so.

The advanced-stat savants over there broke down each group of wide receivers for all 32 teams heading into 2020, and the Jets were second-to-last when all was said and done. They said the group of Jamison Crowder, Breshad Perriman and second-rounder Denzel Mims is too unpredictable heading into the season despite their attributes. Only the Jacksonville Jaguars were rated worse than them.

However, this is definitely a group that can surprise this season. As PFF wrote, “there are plenty of question marks on paper, but the potential is there…”

So how exactly do they reach that full potential? Let me tell you:

Perriman replaces Robby Anderson seamlessly

The second Anderson decided to go to the Carolina Panthers in free agency, Douglas went out and signed Perriman – another speedy receiver who has deep-ball threat written all over him. But what he doesn’t have is the chemistry that Anderson and Darnold built over the past two seasons.

Perriman, though, is looking to prove that 645 yards on 36 receptions with six touchdowns – all career highs – is just the start of what he’s capable of. So building that timing and trust with Darnold during camp will be crucial in his development with the Jets early on. If he can get that down, Darnold will have no problem launching one downfield, knowing that Perriman created separation and can take it to the house.

That’s what he showcased last season in Tampa Bay with the Bucs. The goal for Perriman is to make it so that Anderson isn’t missed.

Mims makes teams wish they chose him in the first round

There were many teams that needed receivers in the first round, but despite having that kind of talent, Mims fell all the way to the Jets at No. 59 after Douglas traded back and still got his man. Though it was a great chess move by the Jets, Mims has a little chip on his shoulder heading into camp.

He certainly believes he should’ve been off the board on day one, and that will bode well for the 6-foot-3 receiver when it comes to facing all the teams that passed him up. Mims just needs to know how much pressure to put on himself so that he doesn’t try too hard to make that happen.

What’s good is that Mims has already gotten to work out with Darnold during the Florida workouts that the quarterback set up. That’s a good first step in his pro journey. Mims was drafted with the hope that he can develop into Darnold’s favorite, most reliable target one day. He has the playmaking ability to break defenses down, and though PFF highlighted the fact that there weren’t many routes to run in Baylor’s offense, he impressed during Senior Bowl practices by showing he can do more than what his college coaches were asking.

Mims has tons of potential to tap into, but can he do it right away this season? Or does he need to ease himself into the NFL? The receiving corps’ success will depend on that answer this season.

Crowder just stays on the field

We all know what Crowder brings to the table: reliable hands, a good route tree, and most importantly, the ability to get open in the middle of the field. Darnold’s favorite target in 2019, Crowder should be pegged for that role again, at least to start the year.

PFF had a 73.9 grade for him last season, which was the highest among Jets receivers. Head coach Adam Gase knows how to use him effectively in his offense, and it showed with career-highs in catches (78) and targets (122) while totaling 833 yards and six touchdowns as well.

Crowder could easily put those numbers up again as long as he stays on the field.