Interest surrounding wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey has been relatively quiet. After being released from the Oakland Raiders, very few teams have been taking a look at him. With most of the marquee receivers officially off the market, Heyward-Bey might be a team's only option if they do not want to look towards the draft. The New York Jets need a player to help their almost non-existent offense. The team is reportedly showing interest in possibly signing Heyward-Bey.
Heyward-Bey entered the 2009 NFL Draft as the top wide receiver to come out of college. Interest levels were high and Oakland took him No.7 overall. However, the receiver failed to meet the high expectations placed upon him. He delivered four disappointing years as a Raider. He recorded only 140 passes for 2,071 yards and 11 touchdowns. He averaged 14.8 yards per reception. He had his best year in 2011, catching 41 passes for 606 yards and five touchdowns.
Leaving for the New York Jets could be a perfect fit for Heyward-Bey. His former Oakland wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal now holds that same position with the Jets. He coached the receiver during the career-best year in 2011. He is familiar with Heyward-Bey and the type of receiver he could be. He is known for his speed and route running abilities. He does have problems with consistency and tracking balls in the air, but he has made a few spectacular catches in his career.
Placed in the right offense and Heyward-Bey could be a productive wide receiver. The Jets could sign him to a small one year contract to see if he is a fit for the team. The problem will be, a struggling Mark Sanchez will result in a struggling Heyward-Bey. Paired with Santonio Holmes and Jeremy Kerley, he could be what the Jets need to get their offense moving again.
The Detroit Lions are also showing slight interest in the receiver. They cut Titus Young and have gotten little production out of Tony Scheffler. With a proven quarterback like Matthew Stafford, Heyward-Bey could be a big deep threat for the team. The Lions do have multiple receivers on their roster, so they would likely have to cut someone in order to make room. They already have Calvin Johnson who could help get him back on track before he is labeled as a draft bust four years into his career.
