Veteran wide receiver Laveranues Coles has signed a contract with the Jets late this afternoon. Terms of the deal were not disclosed by the team.
Coles signed on for his third hitch with the Green & White after he visited the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center earlier today.
"LC" joins a wide receiver corps that includes his former receiving partner Jerricho Cotchery plus two top-notch wideouts who arrived after Coles left following the 2008 season for Cincinnati — Braylon Edwards last season in a trade with Cleveland and Santonio Holmes in an offseason trade with Pittsburgh.
Coles has been a tough, sure-handed pass-catcher since he was selected by the Jets out of Florida State in the the third round, 78th overall, of the 2000 draft. He played his first three seasons with the Jets, left as a restricted free agent for Washington in 2003-04, came back for four more seasons with the Jets, then departed for the Bengals last season and was released this offseason.
In his 10 pro regular seasons, Coles has 674 receptions for 8,609 yards (12.8-yard avg.) and 49 touchdowns. In his seven Jets seasons, those totals are 459 catches for 5,941 (12.9 avg.) and 37 TDs. His best seasons in receptions (91, 2006), receiving yardage (1,264 in 2002) and touchdowns (seven in '01 and again in '08) have all come for the Green & White.
Numbers Games
We can confirm some new uniform numbers that Jets players will be wearing when they take the field at SUNY Cortland on Monday. QB Mark Brunell, signed Thursday, will be wearing No. 8, the same number he wore for the first 13 years of his NFL career (all except the past two with the Saints). First-year punter T.J. Conley has switched from 8 to 4. Newly signed S Emanuel Cook is in 37.
We can't confirm the reports that Jason Taylor will switch to his old reliable No. 99 and that Bryan Thomas will switch to a number in the 50s, as has been reported. And Coles' number has not been assigned yet.
