Crowder led the Jets in receptions the last two seasons, is due to earn $10 million base pay in the final year of his deal in 2021. However, the Jets want him to take a pay cut despite having nearly $30 million available in salary cap space. If Crowder is cut, the Jets won’t owe him any money as the deal is not guaranteed.
Last season Crowder led the Jets with 699 yards on 59 catches and six touchdowns as a 27-year-old. In 2019 he had 78 receptions for 833 yards and six touchdowns.
New York drafted Elijah Moore out of the University of Mississippi with the 34th overall pick back in April. They also signed Corey Davis from the Tennessee Titans and Keelan Cole from the Jacksonville Jaguars in an attempt to give Wilson a chance to succeed as a rookie.
The Jets open the season on the road against the Carolina Panthers at +4.5. They are +160 on the moneyline, and the game has a total of 43 points. New York is +2000 to win the AFC East, and their win total is 6.5, with the over at +112 and the under at -136.
Newton Injures Hand in Patriots Practice
New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton suffered a hand injury during organized team activities on Friday and had to leave the practice. The original fear was that the former MVP broke his hand or fingers, but tests showed that wasn’t the case and that Newton has a “slight bone bruise.”
The injury, which happened when he hit a helmet on a follow-through, means that Newton will miss the rest of the Patriots’ OTA’s. As a result, first-round draftee Mac Jones will get more reps with the first team.
The Patriots open the season at home against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, September 12. They are -2 with a -127 money line with the Dolphins at +105.
The big question for the Pats this season will be when, or if, Jones takes over for Newton as the starting quarterback. DraftKings has Jones at +800 to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, behind Trevor Lawrence (+300), Trey Lance (+600), and Justin Fields (+700).
Newton is a long shot to win the 2021 Most Valuable Player award at +6600, ranking 25th in odds. Last season Newton threw for 2,657 yards while completing 65.8% of his passes but accounted for just eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He ran for 12 scores and 592 yards.
Vikes Sign Breeland
The Minnesota Vikings continued the revamp of their secondary on Friday as they signed Bashaud Breeland from the Kansas City Chiefs. The 29-year-old returns to the NFC North, where he spent the 2018 season with the Green Bay Packers.
Breeland had five interceptions in two seasons with the Chiefs, including a pick of Jimmy Garoppolo in Super Bowl LIV. Breeland played his first four years in Washington and has 14 career interceptions.
He was suspended for the first four games of the 2020 season after violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy with an arrest in April 2020.
Breeland is one of three new players to the Vikings secondary. The big signing was Patrick Peterson from the Arizona Cardinals, while Minnesota also brought back Mackensie Alexander, who played for the team from 2016-19 before spending last season in Cincinnati.
The Vikings win total is 9.5, with the over at +120 and the under at -140. They are +260 to win the NFC North and are -3.5 in the season opener at Cincinnati.
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