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To retain Jamison Crowder, or not to retain Jamison Crowder. That is the question.
Actually, on second thought, it’s not much of a question. In all likelihood, the team is going to have a tough time keeping Crowder because of the amount of money he is set to make on the open market.
According to a report, Crowder is set to make $8-$10 million annually in free agency this season. In a recent story, I explained why that may not be a price that Washington is willing to pay.
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"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."
While Crowder certainly has some talent, it’s hard to justify using that much of the team’s cap to retain a player who has struggled with consistency and injuries in recent seasons. And, additionally, while the 2019 NFL Draft lacks top-end talent at the position, there is depth in the group. So, the Redskins could draft a couple of players and hope that they can adequately replace Crowder.
Crowder figures to garner significant interest on the open market, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see a handful of AFC East target him. The Patriots, Dolphins, and Jets could all end up being good fits. But of all the fits out there, Crowder teaming up with Sam Darnold and Adam Gase seems like a good move, as he could really pair well with Robby Anderson and give Darnold a great target out of the slot.