Cardinals add former 1st-rd WR Josh Doctson, 6 other to fill practice squad

The Cardinals filled their practice squad on Friday by adding seven players, including receiver Josh Doctson, a first-round pick in 2016.

The Arizona Cardinals had 10 players signed to the practice squad earlier in the week. They have have filled their initial practice squad of the season, announcing the addition of seven more players.

The seven added players includes former first-round pick Josh Doctson, a 6-3, 206-lb wide receiver. It also includes center Michael Menet, their final draft pick this year.

They added a pair of veteran cornerbacks, a pass rusher and a pair of defensive linemen.

Here are the seven players they signed:

OLB Ron’Dell Carter
WR Josh Doctson
CB Rasul Douglas
CB Antonio Hamilton
DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
DL Jonathan Ledbetter
C Michael Menet

The Cardinals now have 17 players on the practice squad. The normal size is 16 players, but the Cardinals get an extra spot to accommodate international tight end Bernhard Seikovits.

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Giants to workout WR Josh Doctson, QB Brian Lewerke

The New York Giants will host wide receiver Josh Doctson and quarterback Brian Lewerke for workouts this week.

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The New York Giants have become a workout and tryout factory as they continue to churn the back-end of their depth chart, and that will not change this week.

Wide receiver Josh Doctson and quarterback Brian Lewerke will be among the latest group to take the field in East Rutherford, potentially as early as Wednesday. They are currently going through COVID-19 protocols.

The 28-year-old Doctson, who was a first-round pick (No. 22 overall) of the Washington Football Team in 2016, opted out due to COVID-19 last season after initially signing with the New York Jets. The year prior, he was with the Minnesota Vikings.

In 34 career games (26 starts), the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Doctson has hauled in 81 receptions for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns. His best season came in 2018 when he caught a career-high 44 passes for 532 yards and two touchdowns.

Lewerke, 24, signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State in 2020. He was released as a part of final cuts last September and remained unsigned for the duration of the season.

The 6-foot-3, 216-pound Lewerke, who was named the Pinstripe Bowl MVP in 2019, has obviously never appeared in an NFL game.

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Report: Jets’ opt-out Josh Doctson going to Africa on humanitarian mission

According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Jets’ opt-out Josh Doctson is heading to Rwanda on a humanitarian mission.

It looks like Jets wide receiver Josh Doctson is planning on making the most out of his year away from football.

According to the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta, Doctson, who became the third Jets player to opt-out of the 2020 season, is traveling to Africa on a humanitarian mission in an effort to help the needy. Mehta reported that COVID-19 concerns weighed heavily on Doctson’s decision to opt-out, but he also told people in the Jets’ organization that he “feels that his calling is to help the underprivileged at this time.”

Strict travel restrictions are in place across the world in order to limit the spread of coronavirus, but certain countries in Africa are still allowing visitors from the United States, including Rwanda, which Doctson has visited before.

Doctson took a trip to Rwanda with his girlfriend two winters ago. He initially planned on visiting Ghana, but changed course once he learned of Rwanda’s civil war in the 1990s and how its natives came together to overcome genocide.

“We went to the genocide museum and we saw a lot of things I wasn’t really aware of,” Doctson told the Washington Football Team’s website. “How the genocide started, what happened in the genocide and what’s going on now. [Rwanda] is a very, very safe place. Infrastructure is amazing, they rebuilt everything, people moving, energy’s high. We loved it. I really don’t know what other trip can top Rwanda right now. I really want to keep going back and back and try to figure out how to give opportunities to these people who are in need.”

Doctson signed with the Jets in February on a one-year, $825,000 deal, which will be rolled over to next season. He will receive a $150,000 advance of his 2021 salary, per terms of the NFL-NFLPA opt-out agreement. After playing only seven snaps with the Vikings last season due to injury, the former first-round pick was expected to compete for a spot on New York’s razor-thin wide receiver depth chart in training camp.

4 remaining free agent wide receivers the Jets can bring in to address lack of depth

Jets Wire takes a look at four wide receivers the Jets can add to address their lack of depth at the position.

To say the Jets are thin at wide receiver would be an understatement.

Entering this week, New York’s depth at the position comprised of Vyncint Smith, Braxton Berrios, Josh Doctson and a handful of undrafted free agents — a relatively underwhelming group, to say the least. On Thursday, Doctson opted out of the 2020 season, compounding the issue further.

Fortunately for the Jets, there are still some decent free agent wide receivers available for the taking. There is not any star power left on the market, but a few wideouts who offer value. Unless general manager Joe Douglas wants to roll the dice on unproven players, that should be enough for him to strongly consider making a move.

If Douglas opts to add another wide receiver before Week 1, here are four potential targets that could address New York’s lack of depth.

Demaryius Thomas

Bringing back Demaryius Thomas might be the Jets’ best option at this point in the offseason.

Thomas knows Adam Gase’s offense like the back of his hand and is familiar with the dynamic of New York’s locker room. Not only is Thomas a big-bodied receiver that has a rapport with Sam Darnold, but he was also a captain at one point last season. That is a testament to what he can bring as a mentor to the younger players in the wide receiver room.

It’s tough to learn an entirely new offense in a month’s time. Thomas would not have to endure the ups and downs that come along with adapting to a new scheme this late in the offseason. Joe Douglas might want to add some fresh blood, but with all things considered, re-signing Thomas would be the logical move.

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Josh Doctson places health above chance to revive career by opting out of 2020 season

By opting out of the 2020 NFL season, Jets wide receiver Josh Doctson prioritized his health over the chance to revive his career.

When Josh Doctson signed with the Jets back in February, chances are he was thinking more about reviving his career than he was about a global pandemic.

A week into training camp, however, and Doctson has decided to put his fifth NFL season off. The wide receiver pulled the plug on his 2020 campaign on Thursday, joining Leo Kolomatangi and C.J. Mosley as the third Jets player to opt-out due to COVID-19 concerns. Considering all that was at stake for Doctson this August, this had to be a hard decision.

When New York signed Doctson, it inherited a player whose career was at a crossroads. The former first-round pick flopped in Washington, recording no more than 532 receiving yards in any of his three seasons there before being released. Doctson’s tenure with the Vikings was even shorter, as he was cut mid-season after playing only seven snaps for Minnesota.

Despite the rough start to Doctson’s professional career, another opportunity presented itself in the Big Apple. With their wide receiver room lacking depth, the Jets took a chance on the TCU product. This was much more than an offseason flier signing, too. Doctson was going to have a legitimate chance to turn things around and make New York’s 53-man roster out of training camp.

Instead, Doctson prioritized his health and the health of those around him by opting out — a brave decision for a 27-year-old whose career was already at stake. He could have kept chugging along in an effort to finally reach his potential, but the risks that come along with playing football during a pandemic were simply too loud for him to ignore.

Doctson opting to put his career on pause cannot be viewed in the same ilk as Mosley’s. Doctson does not have an $85 million contract to fall back on. He made good money on his rookie contract, but at this rate, that might be the last multi-million dollar deal he ever signs. There is no guarantee another team, the Jets included, give Doctson another chance in 2021. By then it will have been two seasons since he caught a pass, and that will not make him an attractive option for teams in the market for a wide receiver.

Doctson, however, made his choice. He placed his health above a potential career revival. That might seem like a crazy decision to some, but with a deadly virus still floating around, Doctson thought just the opposite.

Josh Doctson becomes 3rd Jets player to opt-out of 2020 season

WR Josh Doctson became the third Jets player to opt-out of the 2020 season on Thursday, joining LB C.J. Mosley and OL Leo Koloamatangi.

WR Josh Doctson became the third Jets player to opt-out of the 2020 season on Thursday, joining LB C.J. Mosley and OL Leo Koloamatangi. NFL players had until 4 p.m. on Thursday to opt-out.

Doctson signed a one-year deal worth $825,000 with New York as a free agent in February. A former first-round pick, he was going to have a chance to revive his career with the receiver-thin Jets in 2020. Instead, he will sit out the season as the league attempts to play through a global pandemic.

Doctson was drafted 22nd overall in 2016 by Washington after an impressive tenure at TCU. An Achilles injury limited him to just two games as a rookie, though. Doctson totaled 1,034 receiving yards and eight touchdowns over the next two seasons, but he was cut by Washington prior to the 2019 season.

The 27-year-old then latched on with the Vikings, but Doctson only played one game for them last year before being waived. He never caught a pass for Minnesota.

Doctson was going to be in play for at least a depth role in New York. The Jets’ three starting receivers will likely be Breshad Perriman, Jamison Crowder and rookie Denzel Mims, but after that, they have little experience. Now there’s even less.

With Doctson gone, the likes of Vyncint Smith, Braxton Berrios, Jehu Chesson, Josh Malone, Jeff Smith, Lawrence Cager and George Campbell will fight for the remaining wide receiver spots on the depth chart.

The Jets’ 4 most overlooked offseason moves

A look at a few Jets moves that went under the radar this offseason.

The Jets were able to upgrade on both sides of the ball this offseason despite mostly handing out one-year and low-risk deals.

Joe Douglas added a bunch of players with something to prove, though some moves have gone under the radar more than others. After all, not everyone has the resumes that Joe Flacco or Frank Gore do. Nor have some players received the spotlight that top draft picks Mekhi Becton and Denzel Mims have received.

With that said, let’s take a look at four of the Jets’ most overlooked offseason moves.

WR Josh Doctson

A former first-round pick out of TCU, Doctson flamed out in Washington and played just seven snaps in Minnesota before he was released. The potential with Doctson has always been there. However, he’s never been able to put it together, mostly due to suffering multiple injuries since he entered the league in 2016.

In February, Joe Douglas gave the 27-year-old wideout a one-year deal. Doctson is the type of low-risk, high-reward player that has an opportunity to make an impact, especially when considering the lack of talent and depth at wide receiver.

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Jets wide receivers ranked among worst in NFL by Pro Football Focus

Pro Football Focus has the Jets wide receivers ranked 31st in the NFL.

The Jets’ wide receivers have been nothing to write home about for years now. Ask Pro Football Focus, and that trend will continue in 2020.

New York made an effort to improve its wide receivers this offseason, but it didn’t bring in anyone that will scare an opposing defense. The Jets signed Breshad Perriman and Josh Doctson and drafted Denzel Mims out of Baylor. They return Jamison Crowder, Josh Malone, Braxton Berrios, Vyncint Smith and Jeff Smith. Their former No. 1 wide receiver, Robby Anderson, signed with the Panthers.

Pro Football Focus analyzed the Jets’ receivers and ranked them 31st in the league out of 32 teams. Despite the low rank, Pro Football Focus sees some potential if Perriman improves upon his strong finish in Tampa Bay last season and Mims meets his expectations.

“There are plenty of question marks on paper, but the potential is there with this receiving corps if Perriman continues to progress and Mims’ size/speed profile translates quickly,” Pro Football Focus’s Steve Palazzolo said of Gang Green’s wideouts.

If these wide receivers are going to succeed in 2020, it’s going to be based on two things: offensive line and quarterback play. The Jets’ new offensive line has to give Sam Darnold a chance to make the necessary throws. Last season’s unit didn’t do that, allowing Jets quarterbacks to be sacked 52 times.

Darnold, meanwhile, needs to make significant strides in 2020, regardless of those around him. The fact that the Jets have upgraded his supporting cast should certainly help, though.

The receivers have to do their part too, though. This isn’t the most recognizable group, but, as PFF noted, there is some potential. If nothing else, a handful of unknowns will get plenty of opportunities to make an impact in 2020.

Quincy Enunwa’s injury creates opportunity for Jets’ young wide receivers

The Jets don’t have much experience behind Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman, so a young receiver will need to step up.

There was a little bit of hope the Jets would see the return of wide receiver Quincy Enunwa in 2020 after he suffered a second season-ending neck injury last season. Instead, the Jets placed Enunwa, along with Josh Bellamy, on the season-ending physically unable to perform list last week.

Without Enunwa, Bellamy and Robby Anderson, who left in free agency, the Jets have a very shallow receiving corps behind Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman. This gives the younger receivers a great opportunity to play early in their careers and stake a claim to more snaps.

Second-round rookie Denzel Mims will benefit the most without Enunwa in the lineup. He’s all but assured the second outside receiver position opposite Perriman and should be in line for a lot more targets immediately. A lot will be expected of Mims sooner in his career, now, but he has the skills to be an immediate contributor for the Jets as a speedy receiver with a phenomenal catch radius. He isn’t a straight replacement for Enunwa’s production, though, considering their difference in play style. That’s where the rest of the young receiving corps can carve out a role on the offense.

There’s a deluge of inexperienced veterans and undrafted free agents competing behind the trio of Crowder, Perriman and Mims. The Jets have eight other receivers on the roster heading into the rest of the offseason, but only two or three should make the 2020 team.

Josh Doctson leads the way in both experience and production – he has 81 receptions for 1,100 yards in his four-year career – but is also on his third team in five years. He’s a little bit slimmer than Enunwa but has the best shot at earning on a role on the Jets because of his skillset.

The rest of the receivers don’t offer much promise of potential. Vyncint Smith and Braxton Berrios, two holdovers from the 2019 team, played alright when the Jets were decimated by injuries and have special teams appeal as return specialists. They have the inside track to seeing more snaps without Enunwa around. Jeff Smith also played for the Jets in 2019, but he, alongside, Jehu Chesson and Josh Malone, have combined for 11 receptions and 122 yards. The Jets pretty much know what they have in those three, who look like camp bodies and practice squad players.

The intrigue comes in the undrafted free agent receiver class of Lawrence Cager and George Campbell. Both are big and fast wideouts but have an extensive injury history. If they can impress Adam Gase and the rest of the staff earlier on, they could potentially jump up a few spots on the depth chart and earn their way into a role on the team.

Without Enunwa or Bellamy in the mix, there is a prime opportunity for a receiver not named Crowder or Perriman to breakout. The best money is on Mims, but he’s already a lock for the team and a sizable role early on. The Jets need a playmaker to rise out of the receiver room, and now is the perfect opportunity for a player who wouldn’t normally have such a chance.

The 2016 1st-round WR class was really, really bad

There were four receivers taken in the first round. Two aren’t on a team, one has been a huge disappointment and one can’t stay healthy.

The Laquon Treadwell era in Minnesota is over.

The 2016 first-round pick signed with the Atlanta Falcons earlier last week.

Treadwell’s time in Minnesota was surely a disappointment, but it’s actually pretty on par from what we’ve seen from the four wide receivers taken in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Let’s roll through them.

15. Corey Coleman, Browns

Coleman was picked by the Browns after a solid career at Baylor. His career in the NFL, though? Not so much. Coleman’s rookie season was his best when he caught 33 passes for 413 yards and three touchdowns.

He spent two seasons with Cleveland before playing with the Giants in 2018. He was out of the league last season. If you Google Coleman’s name, you’ll find plenty of off-the-field problems associated with him.

21. Will Fuller, Texans

Fuller is easily the most-successful player on this list. He’s had 500 or more receiving yards in every season but one and is one of the best deep threats in all of football. The problem, however, is that Fuller has unable to stay healthy. In four seasons, Fuller has missed 22 games.

22. Josh Doctson, Redskins

Doctson was limited to just two games as a rookie, but looked competent in 2017 and 2018, combining for more than 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns. The Redskins cut him prior to the 2019 season, though. He was signed by the Vikings, but appeared in just one game before being released. He’s currently a free agent.

23. Laquon Treadwell, Vikings

Treadwell’s career in Minnesota was brutal. He was able to stay healthy and even started 14 combined games in 2017 and 2018, but he just had so many mental lapses (and drops) that it was hard to trust him. In four seasons, he combined to have 65 catches for 701 yards and two touchdowns.

Four years after drafting Treadwell, the Vikings will likely look for another receiver in the mid-20s of the draft.

To make matters even worse for these teams, there were pretty good receivers taken later in this draft like Michael Thomas (taken 47th), Sterling Shepard (40th) and Tyler Boyd (55th).