Thinking About Plaxico Burress' Role

The Jets made a big splash Sunday morning by landing free agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress. It really is not a big gamble. He only has a one year contract for a shade over $3 million. If things do not go well, it will be easy to clean up spilled milk. How will the Jets work him into the offense?

In an ideal world, he would be able to duplicate what Braylon Edwards could do right off the bat. That might not be possible, though, as he plays football for the first time since 2008. The Jets have something of a safety net, though. They do not necessarily need him to be able to contribute right away.

This team currently has Santonio Holmes, Jerricho Cotchery, and Dustin Keller as pass catching options. If Plaxico is ready to go right out of the gate, it is a bonus. If not, the Jets can start Holmes and Cotchery. That is really not a bad lineup to trot out in the least. As he shakes off his rust, he will still be a guy the team can use as a big target in certain spots like in the red zone. In three receiver sets, defenses will presumably respect his size and track record on deep stuff and be forced to account for him, freeing things up underneath as either Cotchery or Holmes can slide into the slot.

As he gets back into football shape, he can take on a bigger role. I think the safety net of already having good receivers is something that could help the Jets talk themselves into this move. Even if he does not do the job, the team is in pretty good shape.