Jets Sign WR Rishard Matthews

The Jets are signing former Dolphins and Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Jets are ailing at wide receiver. They desperately needed to add another body with proven NFL experience, in order to prevent their prized rookie quarterback from going through any more stretches of throwing to names like Andre Roberts and Charone Peake. Quincy Enunwa will still be sidelined for a few more weeks, the team cut Terrelle Pryor due to his injuries, and Jermaine Kearse has not appeared to be 100%. A move was necessary.

The 6’0, 217 pound Matthews, who turned 29 on October 12th, was released by the Titans in September after three games in which he posted only 3 catches for 11 yards.

Over his previous two seasons in Tennessee from 2015-16, Matthews played in 30 games and racked up 118 receptions on 195 targets for 1,740 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 58.0 yards per game, 14.7 yards per reception, and 8.9 yards per target.

He was a 7th round draft pick of the Dolphins in 2012, and played in Miami for the first four seasons of his career from 2012-15. As a Dolphin, Matthews played in 49 games and caught 107 of 170 targets for 1,396 yards and 8 touchdowns, averaging 28.5 yards per game, 13.0 yards per reception, and 8.2 yards per target.

His best season was in 2016, when he caught 65 passes for 945 yards and 9 touchdowns for the Titans.