Jets wideout Breshad Perriman dropped a bad habit in recent years.
Once a former first-round pick of the Ravens’, Perriman became one of the NFL’s most inefficient targets. Perriman saw his welcome in Baltimore quickly wear out thanks in part to his inability to corral passes.
From 2015-17, Perriman dropped a total of nine passes, including five during his rookie season. However, most of his troubles catching the ball came during offseason activities in Baltimore. In June 2018, when Perriman was fighting for a roster spot, he dropped at least one pass in three consecutive practices. The icing on the cake for Perriman happened just two months later. In a preseason game against Chicago, a pass from Robert Griffin III went right through Perriman’s hands and into the arms of a waiting Bears defender. He would later be part of the Ravens’ final roster cuts.
Joining Cleveland in mid-2018, Perriman’s luck started to change. Despite catching just 16 passes in 10 games, Perriman had zero drops, a welcomed change for the veteran wide receiver.
Then, last year, he truly proved his reputation in Tampa Bay. With his performance in Bruce Arians’ offense, Perriman was able to put that narrative to rest.
Perriman dropped just one of his 65 targets in 2019. In doing so, he became one of five wide receivers in 2019 with 50+ receptions with one or fewer drops, according to Pro Football Focus.
For Perriman, this is an encouraging sign for things to come, especially as he attempts to prove himself as the Jets’ deep threat. The player that Perriman is replacing, Robby Anderson, had similar numbers during the 2019 campaign. The Carolina Panthers wide receiver had just two drops, accounting for a 2.1 percent drop rate. Like Perriman, Anderson was plagued by drops in the earlier half of his career. However, his hands have gotten better with age.
If last season was any indication, Perriman is a late bloomer himself. While a small sample size doesn’t paint the entire picture, Perriman thrived in a limited role as the Buccaneers’ No. 1 wide receiver with both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin sidelined due to injuries.
If Perriman is given the same freedom in New York, he has a chance to put his drops behind him once and for all.