Breshad Perriman knows what a dangerous offense looks like and the new Jets receiver believes an offense that ranked 32nd in football last year has the pieces to turn things around.
"I think we can be really dangerous, and I feel like that's everybody's expectations coming into it," Perriman said as the team's virtual offseason was nearing its conclusion.
Perriman, who had 645 yards receiving and 6 TDs last season in Tampa, was part of a Buccaneers offense that ranked No. 1 in passing (302.8 YPG), No. 3 overall (397.9 YPG) and No. 4 in scoring (28.6 PPG). After filling a supporting role early behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Perriman flourished with opportunity down the stretch with 5 TDs in his last four contests and three consecutive 100-yard games to end the 2019 campaign. But the 6'2", 215-pounder won't take the practice field with his new teammates until training camp after the most unprecedented offseason in NFL history.
"It's been really unique. I feel like this is the first offseason that I'll never forget and most players won't ever forget," he said. "Just having to be really creative as far as the workouts, the meetings, everything."
In mid-June, Perriman and a group of Jets skills players got together with QB Sam Darnold for some informal throwing sessions in Florida. After experiencing success with Jameis Winston, Perriman is excited to work with the Jets' 23-year-old signal-caller.
"It's been really good. I'm a big fan of his. He seems like a down to earth guy still, which is the same thing from day one," Perriman said. "You can tell he's on top of it. He's very specific about his work and his detail. I can't wait, I'm excited."
The Jets revamped the offensive line in front of Darnold this offseason and added depth behind him at QB and behind Le'Veon Bell at RB. They have a talented, diverse set of tight ends and Jamison Crowder is one of the top slot targets in the NFL. One of the top question marks is on the outside at receiver as Robby Anderson signed with Carolina in free agency and Perriman moved north to New York while the Green & White added Baylor product Denzel Mims in the draft.
"I think he's going to bring big plays to the table. From what I've heard and the clips that I saw, he's a big play type of guy," Perriman said of the 6'3", 207-pound Mims. "He can make a small play a big play, which any team would love to have that, so thankfully it's us. We're both bigger type receivers and we both can run. We can both make those big plays, and the small plays turn into big plays. It's going to be fun."
Both Perriman and Mims have sub-4.4 speed on the outside. A former first-round pick of the Ravens in 2015, Perriman can drop some knowledge on Mims as far as doing the little things to help his body and maintaining his conditioning and nutrition away from the team. They are both learning a new offense, but the 26-year-old Perriman has already played in different systems in Baltimore and Cleveland as well as Tampa.
"It's just new language and new terminology, but for the most part it's all the same stuff," Perriman said. "You just have to learn the different language and the different words they use for certain formations, but for the most part I feel like I've been grasping it pretty good."
Perriman, who calls himself an all-around competitor willing to do anything to stack wins, was resourceful this offseason with his workouts that included neighborhood runs and bodyweight exercises. And Perriman, whose career yards/catch average is 16.4 and who had a an 80.8% first-down conversion rate in 2018-19, had a JUGS machine keep his hands ready for training camp practice sessions.
"I just think it's going to be fun, like a kid out of a candy store. They're letting us out of the cage and we really are just getting back to work," he said of the anticipation. "I feel like that first day is going to be (sweet). I can't wait to get back out there, meet my new teammates face to face to create that bond and compete."
