The Jets are signing former Bears wide receiver Josh Bellamy to a two-year deal in which he can earn up to $7 million with $2.75 million guaranteed.
Bellamy is a versatile player who can play on the offensive side of the ball and on special teams. However, he is best suited on special teams as a gunner.
With key special teams players Kevin Pierre-Louis and Terrence Brooks not expected to be back next season, Bellamy is going to play a key role on Brant Boyer’s unit.
With that being said, let’s take a look at some things to know about the Jets’ newest wideout.
Fifth NFL team
Since going undrafted out of Louisville in 2012, Bellamy has had a hard time staying with one team.
He was picked up by the Chiefs after the 2012 draft. However, he was released before the start of the season. Bellamy was then signed to their practice squad in September until he was promoted to the active roster shortly thereafter. The Chiefs cut ties with him before the start of the 2013 season.
Bellamy had a short two-month stint with the Chargers in 2013 before being added to the Redskins practice squad in November 2013. They released him in April 2014.
Bellamy has spent most of his career in Chicago with the Bears. He joined them in 2014 and had been there ever since.
Connecting Flights
If you’re wondering how Bellamy wound up in New York, there’s a good chance his connection to Adam Gase has something to do with it.
The Jets new head coach was Bellamy’s offensive coordinator in Chicago in 2015, which happened to be the first time Bellamy saw real action on offense. He scored two touchdowns for the Bears that season.
Bellamy also spent one season with longtime Jets running back Bilal Powell at Louisville in 2010.
Special teams star
While Bellamy is listed as a wide receiver, his primary position is on special teams.
Last season for the Bears, Bellamy played 57.65 percent of their special teams snaps. He has not been used as a returner much in his career, but he can get down the field in a hurry and make open field tackles.
Brant Boyer can make good use of Bellamy on his already talented special teams unit.
Can be used as a wide receiver
Bellamy has some skills as a wide receiver, too.
For his career, he has 76 catches for 999 yards and five touchdowns. His best season came in 2017 with the Bears when he had 24 receptions for 376 yards and one touchdown.
It remains to be seen how much Adam Gase will use Bellamy in his offense, but given the Jets’ wide receivers corps now, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be spending a lot of time there.
