CORTLAND — Antonio Cromartie has been asking Rex Ryan to play wide receiver ever since he came to the Jets before the 2009 season.
He might finally get his chance.
The cornerback worked out with the receivers during the second half of individual drills during yesterday’s practice, his first time working with them in that setting.
“Yes, the begging has paid off,” Cromartie said with a smile. “Three years straight of begging trying to get on offense. I think Rex is just giving me an opportunity to go out there and do it.
“At this point, I’m just learning the steps and trying to get more about the position, how they run the routes and everything like that. I think I felt pretty good today, even catching the ball also.”
Cromartie’s receiving skills have been one of the hottest topics of training camp, ever since he announced on ESPN’s “First Take” early in camp that he felt he was the second best receiver on the team.
Now he may get a chance to prove he’s capable of helping a receiving corps that, outside of top target Santonio Holmes, lacks experience.
“I’ve been asking for it since I was a rookie in San Diego,” Cromartie said, drawing laughs. “I’m definitely looking forward to the opportunity.
“It’s fun. It’s an opportunity to get balls in your hands, and just another challenge, going out and playing receiver. I’m looking at it as a challenge for me.”
And while Ryan isn’t expecting Cromartie to become a starter, he does think Cromartie could become a weapon for the Jets this season.
“You’re not going to have him learn the entire offense, but maybe a couple of plays,” Ryan said. “There’s no reason he can’t do it. Certainly, he can be a weapon [with] the size and speed he brings to the table.
“We’ll see how excited he is when he gets smacked by a safety. If somebody like that hits him, we’ll see if that changes anything.”
Cromartie has gotten brief cameos at receiver in the past, including briefly under previous offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer last year. But Cromartie thinks that now he might get a bigger role as a receiver thanks in part to the new offensive regime led by coordinator Tony Sparano.
“Last year I got a couple plays … but I think this year I’ll actually get a chance to play a little more receiver,” he said.
Cromartie has already seen a couple of plays at wide receiver during team drills in training camp, but said that he still needs to get more work with the receivers before he’ll be comfortable trying to have an expanded role in team drills with the offense.
“I think it’s just trying to get more reps,” Cromartie said. “Today was my first time going to individual with the receivers for the second half of individual period. It just felt good getting back out there, and once the game comes about you’ve just got to be ready, period, when your number is called.
“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time, to play both ways in the NFL.”
tbontemps@nypost.com