The Jets plan on signing ex-Bears wide receiver Josh Bellamy when the new league years open up on Wednesday. He’ll get a two-year deal worth a maximum of $7 million, with $2.75 million fully guaranteed.
Bellamy gives New York badly-needed depth at wide receiver, something that was missed 2018. The Jets were forced to play special teamers Andre Roberts and Charone Peake on offense, who were both liabilities as route runners.
Bellamy is unique in that he is a special teams ace, but he has also seen success as a wide receiver.
In Bellamy’s first full year with Chicago, Adam Gase served as his offensive coordinator. During the 2015 season, Bellamy caught 19 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
It is unlikely that he will be catching too many passes from Sam Darnold, as he would currently be fifth on the Jets’ pecking order, but Bellamy provides the Jets with decent depth. A seasoned veteran who has played with Gase before, Bellamy’s role is more defined on special teams. For Brant Boyer, the Jets get a new toy for him to utilize on one of the NFL’s best units.
New York decided not to pick up options on either Terrence Brooks or Kevin Pierre-Louis at the start of the offseason. With New York in need of help, Bellamy is a home run get. He is considered to be one of the better players in the NFL as far as kick and punt coverage units go.
In all likelihood, Bellamy will replace Peake, who the Jets had used as their gunner in 2018. The former seventh-rounder out of Clemson caught just two passes for 25 yards last season. Bellamy brings a lot more to the table than Peake.
The signing of Bellamy proves that the Jets are still committed to improving their special teams unit under Boyer, who was one of three coaches to be retained by Gase.
Prioritizing special teams proved to work wonders for the Jets last year as the unit finished amongst the league’s best. Now, a seasoned veteran is joining the mix in Bellamy.
