Position Reset for '25
The Jets receivers room is headlined again by fourth-year pro Garrett Wilson, whose 101 receptions, 1,104 yards and 7 touchdowns last season were career highs. Wilson could be poised for an even bigger 2025 season since head coach Aaron Glenn said in the spring the Jets are going to "give him the ball as much as possible."
Opposite Wilson is a competition that includes new faces on the Green & White -- predominantly with vast NFL experience -- and returning players that mostly have three or fewer accrued seasons.
"Right now we're under construction," wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson said in June. "We're working. We know what Garrett is, but we have a plethora of receivers that can do different things. We're trying to take all that talent and maximize those things on the field, but that's what we're doing now and this thing will play itself out."
Allen Lazard, 29, is the oldest player who was with the Jets last season among the wideouts. The 6-5, 227 pounder is one of three veteran receivers with blocking prowess. Josh Reynolds (6-3, 192) and Tyler Johnson (6-1, 208) are the others.
The young Jets in the mix are Xavier Gipson, second-year wideout Malachi Corley and speedy rookie Arian Smith, drafted in the fourth round out of Georgia.
Gipson has primarily been a returner in his first two NFL seasons, but he flashed during OTAs as a receiver. Corley has a unique physical skillset, but the Western Kentucky product was hampered by an injury during the spring.
"Now, we have a ways to go to really try to figure out exactly where we're going to place him because he's been in and out, but there's a plan for him and we're going to make sure that we try to utilize him to what he can do best," Glenn said of Corley. "We've seen that in college. Hopefully he gets well soon and we get a chance to utilize his skillset."
Regardless of experience, production, strengths or physical traits, whoever lines up at receiver will be expected to be a willing blocker.
"To me, it's always been an emphasis," Jefferson said. "That's something that's been dear to my heart. I don't do lazy receivers, just don't. In this group at the Jets organization, we want complete receivers. We just don't want pass catchers. Everybody across the board is going to have to block, even Garrett. That's no compromise.
"No block, no rock."
| Jets WR | '24 Team(s) | Exper in '25 | '24 GP-GS-DNP-IA | '24 O-ST-TotSnaps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett Wilson | NYJ | 4th | 17 - 17 - 0 - 0 | 1025 - 1 - 1026 |
| Allen Lazard | NYJ | 7th | 12 - 10 - 0 - 1 | 649 - 1 - 650 |
| Tyler Johnson | LAR | 5th | 15 - 2 - 0 - 2 | 361 - 6 - 367 |
| Xavier Gipson | NYJ | 3rd | 17 - 0 - 0 - 0 | 182 - 152 - 335* |
| Josh Reynolds | DEN-JAX | 8th | 9 - 2 - 8 - 1 | 312 - 1 - 313 |
| Irvin Charles | NYJ | 3rd | 13 - 0 - 0 - 0 | 10 - 214 - 224 |
| Malachi Corley | NYJ | 2nd | 9 - 1 - 3 - 5 | 83 - 8 - 91 |
| Brandon Smith | NYJ | 1st | 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 | 1 - 0 - 1 |
| Pokey Wilson | none | 1st | .......... | .......... |
| Arian Smith | Georgia | R | .......... | .......... |
| Dymere Miller | Rutgers | R | .......... | .......... |
| Jamaal Pritchett | S.Alabama | R | .......... | .......... |
| Quentin Skinner | Kansas St. | R | .......... | .......... |
(*also played one defensive snap)
Check out the best images of Garrett Wilson, Mason Taylor and the Jets pass catchers during the offseason program.
Storyline to Watch
How quickly can Arian Smith acclimate in a crowded room? The fourth-round pick's greatest strength is his speed, but Aaron Glenn mentioned when Smith was drafted that he must work on his hands. Glenn compared the skillset to Lions WR Jameson Williams, who was drafted by the Lions in the first round in 2022.
"The first thing when [Williams] came into the league, everybody talked about his drops and he worked on it like tirelessly every day in practice," Glenn said. "I see [Smith] doing the same thing. So if you are self-aware and you understand that you have an issue and you know you can get better, that's the start. I know this player is going to get better at that."
What They're Saying
Aaron Glenn on a receiver stepping up alongside Garrett Wilson: "All of our guys are going to have to step up. It doesn't matter which veteran it is, there could be a young guy that can step up. We have guys that can make plays for us and that's at every level, every position we have. … I'm expecting all of our guys that are going to be here to step up and take the burden off of Garrett. Listen, Garrett is going to have his chance at one-on-ones. Is he going to get doubled? Yeah, he's going to get doubled. He's a good receiver. But when you do that, that leaves somebody else in a one-on-one situation and I will take that with our guys all day."
WR Trivia
Garrett Wilson is streaking into the new season. G-Dub of course has assembled 3 consecutive seasons of 80-plus receptions and 1,000-plus yards, a pass-catching double barrel that no other Jet and only a handful of NFL wideouts have achieved from the starts of their careers. Other current Wilson streaks: He has 17 consecutive games with at least 3 receptions, 45 games with at least 2 catches, and 51 games — every game in his Jets career — with at least 1 catch.
