Tag: Jamison Crowder

Commanders WR Jamison Crowder named NFC special teams player of the week

Crowder wins the award for the second time in his career with Washington.

Over the last few weeks, Washington Commanders wide receiver Jamison Crowder looked close to breaking a big punt return. After a quiet start to the season, Crowder had punt returns of 14 and 20 yards in Weeks 4 and 5, respectively.

In Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons, Crowder finally had the game-changing play Washington has been looking for from its return game.

In the first half, with the Commanders trailing 7-3, Crowder takes the punt and returns it 61 yards to the Falcons’ 11-yard line. Washington would score a touchdown three plays later and never trailed again.

That excellent punt return was enough for Crowder to be named the NFC special teams player of the week. It’s the second time he’s won the award in his NFL career, both with Washington. Crowder is in his first year back with the Commanders after four years away. Crowder was a fourth-round pick of Washington back in 2015.

The Commanders meet the Giants in Week 7.

Commanders WR Jamison Crowder is making an impact

Jamison Crowder is back in Washington and still proving he’s a playmaker.

It looked like it could possibly be over for Jamison Crowder.

After playing wide receiver for eight seasons in the NFL and catching 415 passes, including 28 receiving touchdowns, Crowder was without a job.

The former Duke Blue Devil had been selected 105th overall in the 4th round of the 2015 draft by the Washington Redskins.

Crowder instantly contributed to the Washington offense, catching 59, 67 and 66 passes in the three seasons he teamed up with Kirk Cousins. However, in 2018, Cousins, not wanted by Bruce Allen and Daniel Snyder had fled to the Vikings via free agency. Crowder’s impact suffered. In addition, he was injured, only playing in 9 games, receiving 29 passes.

The former Redskins receiver then spent three seasons with the Jets (2019-21), catching 188 passes, including 14 touchdowns, and averaging 10.9 yards a reception.

In his age-29 season, Crowder saw action in only four games for the Bills, catching six passes for 60 yards.

His value declining, the Bills chose not to re-sign Crowder, and the Giants signed him on March 23 to a 1-year $1.3M contract through 2023. However, Crowder did not make it through the preseason cuts, being released on Aug. 29.

Commanders’ punt returner Dax Milne injured a groin in the preseason; Washington signed Crowder to the practice squad on Sept. 6, placed Milne on the IR (4-week minimum), and then elevated Crowder to the active roster.

Six games later, Crowder has only been targeted twice for two receptions for 21 yards and two first downs.

But, as a punt returner, Crowder is again contributing for Washington as he did in his initial four seasons in the league. In 2016 against the Ravens, Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown.

This season, Crowder has returned eight punts for 114 yards (14.3 per punt), which ranks 5th this season in the NFL. Sunday, in Atlanta, Crowder nearly went the distance with a 61-yard return, setting up a Washington touchdown. Crowder has returns already of 61, 20, and 14 yards.

 

Milne was eligible to return from the IR list after four games. Yet, don’t look for Washington to hand over Crowder’s spot the way he is returning punts right now.

WATCH: Jamison Crowder’s 61-yard punt return sets up Commanders’ touchdown

Crowder with the Commanders’ first big punt return of the season.

The Washington Commanders brought back former fourth-round draft pick Jamison Crowder this summer after four years away from the franchise.

Initially, Washington signed Crowder to its practice squad with the goal of activating him to the main roster and serving as the primary punt returner — something he hadn’t done regularly since leaving Washington after the 2018 season. He returned a total of nine punts — all with Buffalo last season.

Through his first five games since returning to the Commanders, Crowder was averaging only 7.5 yards per punt return, but Washington was just happy he was reliable in catching the punts.

On Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, Crowder finally broke loose, returning a punt 61 yards to set up Washington’s first touchdown.

Check it out:

Quarterback Sam Howell found running back Antonio Gibson a few plays later to give Washington its first touchdown of the day.

 

Commanders sign Jamison Crowder to 53-man roster

Crowder is officially on the 53-man roster.

It didn’t take long during Washington’s Week 1 win over the Arizona Cardinals to realize the Commanders had found their punt returner.

And he’s a familiar face. Wide receiver Jamison Crowder, who spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with Washington, was signed to the practice squad last week due to an injury to Dax Milne. On Saturday, the Commanders elevated Crowder to the 53-man roster.

During Sunday’s win, Crowder fielded three punts for 10 yards. He had another called back due to holding. No, those numbers aren’t special, but it took just one look at Crowder to realize that the Commanders should stick with him in the role.

He’s always looking for a return. He’s not back there to just fair catch the football. Eventually, Crowder will break one. While he may not return one for a touchdown, he’s a safe bet for the job because coaches know he will catch the ball inside the 10-yard line, and he’s not afraid of a return.

In a corresponding move, the Commanders waived defensive end William Bradley-King.

Washington again has seven wide receivers on the 53-man roster after signing Crowder.

Commanders elevate WR Jamison Crowder from practice squad

Crowder will likely return punts for the Commanders in Week 1.

The Washington Commanders elevated wide receiver Jamison Crowder from the practice ahead of Sunday’s Week 1 game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Washington signed Crowder to the practice squad this week. When the Commanders placed wide receiver Dax Milne on the reserve/injured list Friday, it became apparent that Washington would elevate Crowder to the active roster to handle punt-return duties.

Crowder, a fourth-round pick from Duke in 2015, spent four seasons with Washington and caught 221 passes for 2,628 and 14 touchdowns. He also returned a punt for a touchdown during his time in Washington.

After leaving Washington, he spent three years with the New York Jets and last season with the Buffalo Bills. He spent this offseason with the New York Giants.

For his career, Crowder has 415 receptions, 4,667 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns.

The Commanders kept seven wide receivers on the initial 53-man roster, and Milne was slated to return punts for the second consecutive season. Crowder will likely handle those duties for the Commanders in Week 1.

Commanders sign Jamison Crowder to the practice squad

Jamison Crowder is back.

One day after former Washington wide receiver Jamison Crowder visited the Commanders, he returns to the franchise that drafted him. Washington signed Crowder to the team’s practice squad on Wednesday.

Crowder spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the then-Redskins, before signing a free-agent deal with the New York Jets. He spent three years with the Jets. Crowder spent the 2022 season with the Buffalo Bills. He signed with the New York Giants in March but was released last week.

Washington has seven wide receivers on the 53-man roster, but two are battling injuries. Star Terry McLaurin injured his toe in the second preseason game but appears on track for Week 1. Dax Milne is battling a groin injury and did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.

In eight NFL seasons, Crowder has 415 receptions, 4,667 receiving yards and 28 receiving touchdowns. Crowder has also returned a punt for a touchdown during his first stint in Washington.

In addition to signing Crowder, the Commanders also signed safety Keidron Smith to the practice squad. To make room for Crowder and Smith, Washington released defensive end William Bradley-King and center/guard Nolan Laufenberg from the practice squad.

Smith signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent. He played collegiately at Kentucky.

Former Washington wide receiver Jamison Crowder visits Commanders

The Commanders hosted Crowder on a free-agent visit.

Jamison Crowder spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the then-Washington Redskins after being selected in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft.

In his four seasons in the burgundy and gold, Crowder appeared in 56 games and recorded 221 receptions, 2,628 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also returned punts for Washington, averaging 7.9 yards per return and scored one touchdown.

Crowder signed with the New York Jets as a free agent in March 2019, where he played for three seasons. Crowder was with the Buffalo Bills in 2022. Crowder signed with the New York Giants in March but was released last week.

On Tuesday, the free-agent wide receiver visited the Commanders. Remember, Washington kept seven wide receivers on its initial 53-man roster and has two more on the practice squad.

So why did they host Crowder on a visit?

This is more of a situation where teams will bring in players to see if they are healthy in case they need to sign them at some point in the season. If injuries hit Washington, the Commanders could call Crowder and sign him, knowing he could contribute immediately.

It’s unlikely Washington hosted Crowder for punt-returning duties, as he has returned only nine punts since leaving Washington. But you never know.

Giants fall to Jets, 32-24, in Week 3 of preseason: 7 takeaways

The New York Giants fell to the New York Jets in Week 3 of the preseason and here are 7 quick takeaways from the game.

The New York Giants dropped their preseason finale to the New York Jets, 32-24, on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Here are seven takeaways from the final game of their exhibition season.

Giants have a problem at wide receiver and that’s a good thing

The New York Giants have more solid wide receivers than they have available spots, and that’s a good problem to have.

The New York Giants have a number of options at slot receiver this season, a situation made even more competitive after two veterans logged in solid showings Friday night in Detroit.

Cole Beasley caught all four of his targets for a total of 33 yards and Jamison Crowder reeled in both of his for 32 yards.

The Giants signed each veteran this offseason as insurance after the receiver cupboard ran bare last season due to injuries, forcing the team to sign players off the street.

One of the players they brought in last fall was Isaiah Hodgins, who provided the Giants with a huge boost down the stretch as they drove toward the playoffs.

On Friday night, Hodgins — a prospective starter on the outside — caught one pass for 13 yards to remind everyone that he’s still very much in the plans.

Head coach Brian Daboll put Hodgins in for 18 snaps in the game, some early on and then again later in the game.

“I thought it was good for him,” Daboll said. “He was a practice squad player for a while there and came on with us late, so I thought it was good to get him some reps early on with Tyrod (Taylor).”

The Giants’ wide receiver room is a very crowded one this summer and when the music stops on August 29 for final cuts there won’t be enough chairs. Several will be going home, or at the least, to the practice squad.

Sterling Shepard is back, along with Darius Slayton and Hodgins. They, along with third-rounder Jalin Hyatt and free agent Parris Campbell, are all shoe-ins to make the roster.

That leaves perhaps three open spots on the 53-man roster. With Beasley and Crowder stepping up, that number could be reduced to just one. Several players will have two games to make their cases.

Heralded rookie Bryce Ford-Wheaton did not have an impressive debut, failing to reel in any of his three targets and dropping a sure reception that hit him squarely in the chest.

The ever-reliable David Sills V made the most of his time, catching two passes for 36 yards, including one for a 22-yard gain. Sills is a long shot to make the team. The 27-year-old has been with the Giants since 2019, either on the active roster or the practice squad.

Kalil Pimpleton continues to play well, catching both of his chances for a total of 15 yards. He can also contribute on special teams as a returner.

Jaydon Mickens had a six-yard reception in the game, but he appears to be headed to the practice squad (at best).

Collin Johnson, who missed all of 2022 with an Achilles injury, left the game with a knee issue. The 6-foot-6 former Texas standout had been having a solid camp.

As of Saturday, Daboll did not have an updated status on Johnson’s injury.

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Giants drop preseason opener to Lions: 7 takeaways

The New York Giants fell to the Detroit Lions, 21-16, on Friday night in their preseason opener and here are 7 quick takeaways.

The New York Giants opened their 2023 NFL preseason schedule with a 21-16 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Friday night.

Here are seven quick takeaways from the game.