The New York Jets may not have a true No. 1 receiver this year, but Chad Pennington believes the wideouts will all fill their own roles.
Offensive line or wide receiver? Wide receiver or offensive line?
It’s the ultimate decision that New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas will have to make in the upcoming NFL Draft. They certainly need to bolster the line, considering it was near the bottom of the league last year, but acquiring as many skill players for Sam Darnold would be nothing but beneficial.
But regardless of who they select, the Jets will likely be without a No. 1 receiver in 2020 after losing Robby Anderson in free agency. Gang Green should be able to adapt to that though, at least according to former quarterback Chad Pennington.
“Right now, it looks like it’s going to be a receiving core that’s asked to do things by committee. It doesn’t look right now that you have that standout per se, that true No. 1, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case just as long as you have guys who understand their roles and understand what they’re being asked to do,” Pennington said, per Eric Allen of the Jets official website. “I could certainly see the Jets going to the draft to add to that as well, but as far as [Breshad] Perriman and his signing, I think it was a solid signing no doubt.”
The top receivers on the roster, as of right now, are Jamison Crowder, Perriman, and Quincy Enunwa, the latter of which is coming off a season in which he missed 15 games. Each can bring something to the table, but none really stand out from the others. Douglas and the organization are hoping to find that game-changing wideout sooner rather than later.
The Jets may end up having every top receiver prospect to choose from at No. 11 overall. This includes Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III from Alabama along with CeeDee Lamb from Oklahoma. Each individual possesses unique qualities and would greatly assist this Jets offense from a passing game standpoint.
But then again, it’s always a risk to take a wideout in the first round. There are also a number of talented receivers the Jets could select on day two of the draft. With that said, New York may end up leaning more towards taking one of the available offensive tackles when they’re on the clock.
