Best Available Post Draft Free Agent Veteran Wide Receivers

By Ha Kung Wong

Twitter: @FBGarbageTime

Well, it’s that time of year again, football fans.

We’re more than a month after the NFL Draft, we’re just starting OTAs and we’re still over a month away from the preseason.  Depth charts are starting to be set and teams are getting a look at whether moves made so far address the issues they had in 2015.

Perhaps the most important of these positions to address is WR.  Whether free agency pickups and draft picks are sufficient for 2016 is probably yet to be seen, but an important known quantity available to these teams may be signing a proven veteran WR for the short term.  Just remember what Steve Smith did after he was shown the door in Carolina.  He exceeded 1000 yards in his first season in Baltimore and was well on track to doing the same in 2015 before being derailed by injury.

So as teams make their way through OTAs and determine they need some receiver depth, perhaps these are a few veteran receivers they should consider.

Roddy White

Reddy White

Reddy White

After being released by the Atlanta Falcons on March 2, there hasn’t been much news about their all time career receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns leader.  White played his entire 11 year career in Atlanta, so seeing him in another uniform will be strange.  But at the rate things are going, we might not see White in ANY uniform next year, at least not one in the NFL.

Regardless of the reason for White’s drop off in production, whether it be due to a vindictive offensive coordinator or just simply age catching up to him, there’s still reason to believe that White can be a solid contributor for another team.

Sure, he only had 506 receiving yards and 1 TD in 2015, but he also close to a career low 70 targets.  The only years he had less that 70 targets were his rookie and second year where he has 69 and 65 targets. 61.4%.  In fact, White caught 61.4% of his targets in 2015, which is actually slightly better than his reception percentage over the six years that he exceeded 1000 receiving yards (2007 – 2012) of 59.2%.  The skill set is still there, including elite route running and consistent hands.

Some believe the Minnesota Vikings would be a good landing spot, and some have mentioned that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have been interested at some point.  I think both teams could benefit, as could any team that could use a veteran presence and solid WR3.

Anquan Boldin

Anquan Boldin - Getty Images

Anquan Boldin – Getty Images

Anquan Boldin has had a surprisingly consistent career.  In 7 of his 13 years in the NFL, Boldin exceeded 1000 receiving yards, 2 of which were in the last 3 years with the 49ers.  He averages 13.1 yards per reception with 5.4 receptions per game and 70.9 yards per game.  Sure, his 789 receiving yards in 2015 was his second lowest total of his career, but he had freakin Blaine Gabbert throwing him the ball for half the season, and let’s be honest, the entire 49ers team was a disaster last year, winning only 5 games.

Now the 49ers look like they’d be comfortable letting Boldin go, even though they did nothing to improve they’re QB or WR situation (other than select project QB Jeff Driskel and WR Aaron Burbridge in the 6th round of the draft).  So who’s behind Torrey Smith?  Well, 49ers fans, how do you feel about the questionable lot of Bruce Ellington, Quinton Patton, Jerome Simpson, DeAndrew White and DeAndre Smelter (coming off an ACL tear)?  I’m going with “uneasy” at best.  Sure, 49ers GM Trent Baalke wouldn’t rule out re-signing free agent WR Anquan Boldin, but apparently, he also “likes their young WR talent”, so good judgment might not be in play here.

And others have started to pile on as an unnamed “pro scouting director” thought that Boldin was “old and can’t run”.

Well, I’m no “pro scouting director”, but I’d beg to differ.  Boldin is as consistent as he comes, and still caught 62.1% of targets in a down 2015, which is completely in line with his 61.4% career average.

So far, Boldin only had one visit to another team, that team being the Washington Redskins.  But nothing has progressed from there.  The Chiefs, Vikings and Bengals have also been identified as potential landing spots, but in my opinion, most NFL teams could do worse than sign Boldin as a WR2/3.

If nothing else, at least golf legend Jack Nicklaus still likes Boldin.  Now if only he owned an NFL team…

Greg Jennings

Greg Jennings

Greg Jennings

Poor Greg Jennings.  He had a monster career in Green Bay for 6 years before being derailed by injury in 2012, and then tossed aside by the ever evolving Packers offense.  He managed reasonable production with some terrible QBs in Minnesota over the next 2 years, but never got back to where he was in Green Bay.  And after being released by the Vikings, he went to Miami, and wow, what a fiasco that was.  He totaled only 208 yards on just 19 receptions and one TD.  And now he doesn’t have a job.

The free agent market hasn’t been kind to Jennings, as he hasn’t garnered much interest.  And now he says he wants to be back in Minnesota:

“I left [GM] Rick [Spielman] a voicemail.  I told [them], I’m waiting on you guys. I miss being there. You appreciate something more when it’s taken away from you.”

In all honesty, Jennings might be best used as a mentor at this point, perhaps among a young WR core or with a newly drafted WR as a mentee.  And, if nothing else, he shouldn’t cost much to acquire.  Regardless, teams should give him a pass on his horrid 2015, and look at what he was able to do in Minnesota over two years.  He still managed to catch over 64% of his targets and total almost 800 yards a season while with the Vikings.  Heck, that’s got to be worth at least a look as potential WR depth.

Andre Johnson

Andre Johnson

Andre Johnson

Andre Johnson had an illustrious 12 year in Houston, but then moved on to Indy in 2015 to what looked like a promising situation.  Johnson had always been shackled by mediocre QB play in Houston, so what would happen when you add him to an offense run by Andrew Luck?  Unfortunately, Luck went down early spent most of the season on the bench, leading to Johnson’s lowest output of his career aside from his injury shortened 2011 with just 503 yards catching a career low 53.2% of his targets.  Part of this is due to the QB situation, but part could be Johnson’s increase in uncharacteristic drops.

So now, after being released by the Colts in March, Johnson is looking for a job.  But regardless of not visiting with any teams during the offseason, Johnson still expects to play in 2016.

He’s probably not going get back to 1000+ receiving yard seasons, but I think it’s perfectly reasonable for him to bounce back to catching around 60% of targets and totaling 700-800 yards with 3-5 TDs, which is essentially where he was trending prior to the disastrous season in Indy, sufficient to be a WR2/3.

James Jones

James Jones Hoodie

James Jones

Ah, James Jones.  He’s always been a consistent and productive part of the Green Bay offense, essentially operating as a WR3.  But you knew exactly what you were going to get from him — about 600 yards and about 3-6 TDs (except for his ridiculous 2012 where he caught 14 TDs).  Even his year in Oakland wasn’t bad with 666 yard and 6 TDs.  Then after failing to make the Giants roster in 2015, Jones found himself back in Green Bay and completely dominating.  In fact, he had arguably the best year of his career with 890 yards (the most in his career) and 8 TDs (the second most in his career).  He even made wearing hoodies during NFL games seem kinda cool (though totally impractical as you’d never be able to fit that hood over your helmet).  The only real knock was his inability get much separation and catching a career low 50.5% of his targets, a far cry from his 60.5% career average.

Regardless, it surprising that no one wants to kick the tires.  And, with Jordy Nelson coming back from an ACL injury, the Packers informed Jones’ player rep that they have “no interest” in re-signing him.  But Jones still wants to keep playing.

It’s surprising that no team has given Jones a look.  He’s not the same consistent receiver he was back in the day, but he proved last year that put in the right situation, he can be productive.  He’s still a decent route runner and well experienced at working his way into open spaces when his QB is trouble.  Of course, not every QB is Aaron Rodgers, but he there’s certainly some value here available for cheap.  Heck, Jones didn’t expect to be available this late, so you have to imagine one could sign for cheap.

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