The New York Jets have finally added a wide receiver for new quarterback Justin Fields.
NFL Insider Aaron Wilson was first to share on social media that the Jets have signed former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tyler Johnson in free agency. General manager Darren Mougey came to terms with the talented pass catcher overnight.
#Jets agree to terms with wide receiver Tyler Johnson
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 15, 2025
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Johnson won a Super Bowl ring as a rookie in 2020 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Jets Are Taking a Dart Throw at WR
Johnson, 26, entered the league as the No. 161 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft.
He spent the first two years of his career with the Bucs. He has bounced around the league with stints on the Houston Texans, another go around with the Bucs, Las Vegas Raiders, and most recently he was with the Rams.
During his five years in the pros, Johnson has appeared in 49 games and has made eight starts. With those opportunities, Johnson has caught 76 receptions for 828 receiving yards and has scored four touchdowns.
While the raw numbers aren’t overly impressive there are some intriguing notes in the deeper level analytics.
Michael Nania of Jets X-Factor shared that Johnson had 117 yards after the catch. That was the seventh most YAC “over expected” among wide receivers this past season.
Most YAC over expected among WR in 2024:
1. Ja’Marr Chase (294)
2. CeeDee Lamb (232)
3. A.J. Brown (158)
4. Puka Nacua (124)
5. Zay Flowers (120)
5. Deebo Samuel (120)
7. Tyler Johnson (117) #Jets pic.twitter.com/YW07FRXlPW— Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania) March 15, 2025
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ESPN’s Rich Cimini revealed where Johnson ranks among wide receivers in open score, overall score, and yards per route.
Some analytics on Jets WR Tyler Johnson:
Yards per route — 1.6 (ranked 62nd out of 116 WRs)
“Open” score — 46 (ranked 85th)
Overall score — 46 (ranked 43rd)Source: ESPN metrics/tracking #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) March 15, 2025
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Coming out of college, NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein said that his “play strength [is] reminiscent of AJ Brown.”
“Contested-catch warrior who plays the game like a big brother imposing his will on his younger brothers on the playground … Rare ball skills and instincts as ball-winner. Basketball background shows when bodying defenders at catch-point. Defenders catch shoulders, back and hips anywhere on the field. Diligent in working back to his quarterback. Uses tracking and stacking to handle deep catches. Excellent high-point timing and mid-air adjustments,” Zierlein said in his NFL combine profile.
Something that could come into play later is Johnson’s prior experience as a “successful” high school quarterback.
Zierlein revealed that Johnson threw for over 2,606 passing yards and had 36 passing touchdowns as a senior in high school. He could be an option for wildcat plays in 2025.
Jets Make Another Overnight Addition
Another addition the Jets made overnight was signing cornerback and special teams ace Kris Boyd to a free agent contract.
Boyd made headlines for all the wrong reasons in the playoffs. The 28-year-old was caught on camera as a member of the Texans shoving his special teams coach Frank Ross at the beginning of the playoff game versus the Kansas City Chiefs.
Overnight the Jets agreed to deals with ST/CB Kris Boyd and WR Tyler Johnson.
You might remember Boyd shoving his Texans special teams coach Frank Ross in the playoffs last year. pic.twitter.com/W8Tgaoam0d
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) March 15, 2025
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Outside of that incident, Boyd has proven to be a key special teamer throughout his career. Boyd entered the league as the No. 217 overall pick in the seventh round by the Minnesota Vikings.
After his four-year rookie contract expired, Boyd spent time with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023 before landing on the Texans.
In 2020 he got a chance to be a cornerback at the NFL level, but after that brief stint he has spent the majority of his time on special teams.
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