NFL

How Jets should overhaul receiver position

This is the third in a nine-part series examining the Jets’ needs position by position with free agency starting on March 11.

Wide receivers

Currently on roster:

Santonio Holmes

Age: 30 on March 3

2013 stats: 23 receptions, 456 yards, 19.8 average, 1 TD

Stephen Hill

Age: 22

2013 stats: 24 receptions, 342 yards, 14.3 average, 1 TD

Jeremy Kerley

Age: 25

2013 stats: 43 receptions, 523 yards, 12.2 average, 3 TDs

Santonio Holmes is likely to be cut as the Jets make significant changes to the receiver position. Jeff Zelevansky

David Nelson

Age: 27

2013 stats: 36 receptions, 423 yards, 11.8 average, 2 TDs

Stephen HillJoseph E. Amaturo

Clyde Gates

Age: 27

2013 stats: 12 receptions, 122 yards, 10.2 average, 0 TDs

Greg Salas

Age: 25

2013 stats: 8 receptions, 143 yards, 17.9 average, 0 TDs

Josh Cribbs

Age: 30

2013 stats: 2 receptions, 6 yards, 3.0 average, 0 TDs

Saalim Hakim

Age: 24

2013 stats: N/A

Vidal Hazelton

Age: 26

2013 stats: N/A

Michael Campbell

Age: 24

2013 stats: N/A

Dwight Jones

Age: 25

2013 stats: N/A

2014 free agents: Cribbs, Hazelton (exclusive rights)

Overview: This group was a total mess in 2013 and needs a complete overhaul. Holmes missed five games with a hamstring injury and was not himself when he was playing. His days with the Jets are numbered. They are expected to release him any day now to clear salary cap space.

Hill started off strong and the coaches were encouraged, but his knee began to bother him midway through the season and he disappeared. The Jets ended up placing him on injured reserve for the second straight season. The Jets are not ready to give up on Hill, but they are discouraged by his lack of production after taking him in the second round of the 2012 Draft.

Kerley was the team’s best receiver, and he is the only one whose job is safe. He has become a solid slot receiver and was Geno Smith’s favorite target on third down. Kerley had injury issues last year, too, and the Jets went winless without him in the lineup.

John Idzik made a nice in-season signing with Nelson, who had some good games and became a positive locker room presence.

Offseason priority rating (1 to 5 with 5 being the highest priority): 5

Jeremy Maclin was among the Jets targets, but he re-signed with the Eagles.Getty Images

Possible targets: Jeremy Maclin, Hakeem Nicks, Golden Tate, Eric Decker, Andre Roberts, Emmanuel Sanders, Sidney Rice, Mike Evans (draft), Marqise Lee (draft), Odell Beckham Jr. (draft), Brandin Cooks (draft), Kelvin Benjamin (draft)

Costello’s call: The Jets need help at this position, lots and lots of help. One member of the Jets hierarchy joked (I think) that “if we have 12 picks, we’re taking five wide receivers.” That might be taking it a little far, but the Jets need to add impact players here both in free agency and the draft.

I think Decker, the top-rated free agent, is going to get a bigger contract than the Jets are willing to give. He is expected to get around $9 million per year. It looks like the Eagles will get Maclin re-signed (UPDATE: They did sign him to one-year deal) before free agency starts. If they are off the board, I would sign either Tate or Sanders and then take two more players in the Draft. Evans (Texas A&M) improved his draft stock at the Combine last week and now may be a Top 10 pick. If he slides into the teens, the Jets need to try to move up to take him. If he’s off the board, Cooks (Oregon State) or Beckham Jr. (LSU) could be the choice. I would not stop there, though. I would use one of the two third-round picks on another receiver.

Rice is an interesting player, too. He had a ton of injuries in Seattle, but Idzik knows him from his days there. If you could sign him to a cheap, no-risk deal, it might be worth taking a look at him to see if he has anything left.

The more, the merrier at this position. Idzik needs to fill the wide receivers room up and then see who emerges in the spring and summer.

Coming Monday: Tight Ends