The Jets were hoping this season would reveal which pieces could be future cornerstones of their rebuild, aside from rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, and they may have found one in wide receiver Braxton Berrios.
The 26-year-old saw a career-high 12 targets in Sunday’s narrow loss to the Buccaneers, logging 65 yards and a touchdown after breaking out with a 102-yard kick return touchdown the previous week. Berrios has proven to be a weapon in Mike LaFleur’s offense, but he is a free agent at the end of the season.
If it were up to head coach Robert Saleh, Berrios would be back in New York next season.
“Everyone knows how we feel about Braxton,” Saleh said. “We want him here, but all of that stuff is for him. He’s part of that discussion too. These are all things we’ll address in the offseason.”
That conversation will have to wait, but the former sixth-round pick has been a revelation for Saleh and the Jets of late, as Berrios has shined while the receiving core has been shorthanded. His 431 receiving yards is a career high, and while he has only made one start this season, his ability to be a playmaker on offense and special teams makes him a valuable piece to Gang Green’s offense.
“Absolutely loves everything about football,” Saleh said. “He loves practice, he loves studying…and because of it, you see a guy who gets better and a guy who has done everything he can to help his team win.”
Formerly a depth receiver with special teams ability, Berrios has seen his stock rise dramatically in recent weeks, which could lead to a nice deal over the offseason. Those talks will have to wait, but Saleh isn’t shy in expressing his desire to bring Berrios back for a fourth season with the Jets.
“We’ll talk about it at the end of the season,” Saleh said. “Obviously, we love Braxton. I’ve always sat up here and said it’s our job as a coaching staff to make Joe Douglas’ job as hard as possible, with regards to re-signing people.”
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