Jamison Crowder is a free agent. Reportedly, his price-tag is going to be in the $8-$10 million range which may make it hard for the Washington Redskins to keep him.
Jamison Crowder is one of the most important free agents that the Redskins have ahead of the 2019 offseason. Crowder, a former fourth-round pick out of Duke, was once considered to be one of the best slot receivers in the league and the potential No. 1 target for Washington. However, the past two seasons have dispelled the latter notion while putting the former statement up for debate.
It’s been unclear whether or not the Redskins want to re-sign Crowder entering 2019 free agency. While they lack talent at the receiver position, retaining Crowder may not be something that the team is interested in. Or, at least, it may not be something they’re interested in at his projected price tag.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Crowder is one of the available free agents that may get more than many are expecting. Here’s what Breer said about that possibility in a recent piece.
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"Redskins WR Jamison Crowder: Based on what I’ve heard he’s turned down, it wouldn’t shock me to see him land somewhere between $8 million and $10 million per. Slots are more important, and more valued, than ever, which is good news for Crowder, Adam Humphries and Cole Beasley, as well as third-contract candidates Golden Tate and Randall Cobb."
This is true, as slot receivers are becoming more coveted at the NFL level. That said, $8-$10 million is a lot to pay for a receiver who is coming off what was arguably his worst season at the NFL level.
Last year, Crowder struggled with injuries and logged only 29 catches for 388 yards and a couple of scores in nine games. And for the fourth consecutive year, his catch percentage dropped and he posted a career-low 59.2 percent in that area. Now, that figure may have been influenced by the quarterbacks he had to play with, but he also had four drops last season, tied for second-most on the team. His hands were also an issue at times in 2017, so this can’t be ignored.
Crowder still has game-breaking ability, as evidenced by his 79-yard touchdown catch this year, and he is a good route runner as well. However, paying him that much money to be a slot option seems like a risk, especially since there are some comparable players that the team could target in the 2019 NFL Draft.
If Crowder does actually get $8-$10 million on his next contract, it likely won’t be from the Redskins. They have to focus their energy on upgrading some other positions, and in an intriguing receiver class, it may be best for them to target a couple of players in the draft while giving Trey Quinn a chance to compete in the slot.