Davante Adams, Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson, Will Fuller, Mike Williams, Sammy Watkins and Jamison Crowder are among the most notable wide receivers headed for free agency. If form holds, some will land with new teams, but most will fall short of expectations.
That’s the way it typically plays out. More often than not, wide receivers aren’t as effective when transplanted into a new environment – always with a different offense and often with a quarterback who’s not as good at getting them the ball.
Since 2000, 100 wide receivers have put up top-40 numbers, then switched to play for a new team the next year (whether it be by trade or free agency). Of those receivers, only 21 (about 1 in 5) finished with better numbers (using PPR scoring). Only 43 (fewer than half) again put up top-40 numbers.
In the chart below, I’ve got the guys ordered by their production prior to moving. The first player on the list (Muhsin Muhammad) was the most productive receiver in the league in 2004 (using PPR scoring). Three others put up top-5 receiving numbers (DeAndre Hopkins, Jarvis Landry, Antonio Brown).
For the wide receivers who finished with top-20 numbers in their first season with their new team (and there are 22 of them), I’ve got double black dots next to their names. For the guys who at least put up top-40 numbers (and there are 21 of them), they’ve got a single black dots. For the guys with no dots, they finished outside the top 40.
The final column shows the amount the player’s production improved or declined, using PPR scoring. Muhammad, for example, was down 51 percent in his first season with the Bears. Hopkins improved by 8 percent in his first season in Arizona. There are 21 players whose production increased, while the other 79 declined.
For stats, I’m showing catches, yards and touchdowns. I’ll stay away from listing PPR totals because different folks use different scoring systems and I don’t want to make the table too overly complex. But the percentage number at the end gives an indication of how things changed.
| TOP-40 WIDE RECEIVERS MOVING TO NEW TEAMS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Teams | Old stats | New stats | Change |
| 2005 | • Muhsin Muhammad | Car. to Chi. | 93-1405-16 | 64-750-4 | -51% |
| 2020 | •• DeAndre Hopkins | Hou. to Ariz. | 104-1165-7 | 115-1407-6 | 8% |
| 2018 | •• Jarvis Landry | Mia. to Cle. | 112-987-9 | 81-976-5 | -17% |
| 2019 | Antonio Brown | Pitt. to N.E. | 104-1297-15 | 4-56-1 | -95% |
| 2003 | • Peerless Price | Buff. to Atl. | 94-1252-9 | 64-838-3 | -39% |
| 2013 | • Wes Welker | N.E. to Den. | 118-1354-6 | 73-778-10 | -28% |
| 2010 | • Brandon Marshall | Den. to Mia. | 101-1120-10 | 86-1014-3 | -26% |
| 2004 | Keenan McCardell | T.B. to S.D. | 84-1174-9 | 31-393-1 | -70% |
| 2014 | • Eric Decker | Den. to NYJ | 87-1288-11 | 74-962-5 | -29% |
| 2015 | •• Jeremy Maclin | Phil. to K.C. | 85-1318-10 | 87-1088-8 | -11% |
| 2017 | •• Brandin Cooks | N.O. to N.E. | 78-1173-8 | 65-1082-7 | -10% |
| 2005 | •• Derrick Mason | Ten. to Balt. | 96-1168-7 | 86-1073-3 | -17% |
| 2004 | •• Terrell Owens | S.F. to Phil. | 80-1102-9 | 77-1200-14 | 15% |
| 2012 | •• Brandon Marshall | Mia. to Chi. | 81-1214-6 | 118-1508-11 | 40% |
| 2009 | • Terrell Owens | Dall. to Buff. | 69-1052-10 | 55-829-6 | -25% |
| 2014 | • DeSean Jackson | Phil. to Was. | 82-1332-9 | 56-1169-6 | -22% |
| 2003 | •• Laveranues Coles | NYJ to Was. | 89-1264-5 | 82-1204-6 | -4% |
| 2012 | •• Vincent Jackson | S.D. to T.B. | 60-1106-9 | 72-1384-8 | 13% |
| 2010 | • Santonio Holmes | Pitt. to NYJ | 79-1248-5 | 52-746-6 | -30% |
| 2002 | Keenan McCardell | Jac. to T.B. | 93-1110-6 | 61-670-6 | -32% |
| 2019 | • Odell Beckham | NYG to Cle. | 77-1052-6 | 74-1035-4 | -13% |
| 2018 | •• Brandin Cooks | N.E. to LAR | 65-1082-7 | 80-1204-6 | 10% |
| 2004 | David Boston | S.D. to Mia. | 70-880-7 | 4-80-0 | -94% |
| 2021 | • Marvin Jones | Det. to Jac. | 76-978-9 | 73-832-4 | -21% |
| 2007 | Darrell Jackson | Sea. to S.F. | 63-956-10 | 46-497-3 | -48% |
| 2010 | • Anquan Boldin | Ariz. to Balt. | 84-1024-5 | 64-837-7 | -13% |
| 2002 | Qadry Ismail | Balt. to Ind. | 74-1059-7 | 44-462-3 | -52% |
| 2015 | Mike Wallace | Mia. to Min. | 67-862-10 | 39-473-2 | -54% |
| 2017 | Terrelle Pryor | Cle. to Was. | 77-1007-5 | 20-240-1 | -77% |
| 2012 | Laurent Robinson | Dall. to Jac. | 54-858-11 | 24-252-0 | -76% |
| 2020 | •• Stefon Diggs | Min. to Buff. | 63-1130-6 | 127-1535-8 | 51% |
| 2009 | • T.J. Houshmandzadeh | Cin. to Sea. | 92-904-4 | 79-911-3 | -9% |
| 2002 | Johnnie Morton | Det. to K.C. | 77-1154-4 | 29-397-1 | -60% |
| 2006 | • Deion Branch | N.E. to Sea. | 78-998-5 | 53-725-4 | -27% |
| 2012 | Pierre Garcon | Ind. to Was. | 70-947-6 | 44-633-5 | -32% |
| 2006 | Donte Stallworth | N.O. to Phil. | 70-945-7 | 38-725-5 | -32% |
| 2001 | •• Jerry Rice | S.F. to Oak. | 75-805-7 | 83-1139-9 | 27% |
| 2021 | Curtis Samuel | Car. to Was. | 77-851-5 | 6-27-0 | -95% |
| 2017 | Pierre Garcon | Was. to S.F. | 79-1041-3 | 40-500-0 | -55% |
| 2009 | Laveranues Coles | NYJ to Cin. | 70-850-7 | 43-514-5 | -37% |
| 2013 | • Mike Wallace | Pitt. to Mia. | 64-836-8 | 73-930-5 | 2% |
| 2019 | Adam Humphries | T.B. to Ten. | 76-816-5 | 37-374-2 | -54% |
| 2018 | Dez Bryant | Dall. to Balt. | 69-838-6 | 6-47-2 | -88% |
| 2004 | • Justin McCareins | Ten. to NYJ | 47-813-8 | 56-770-4 | -12% |
| 2005 | •• Randy Moss | Min. to Oak. | 49-767-13 | 60-1005-8 | 1% |
| 2008 | • Bernard Berrian | Chi. to Min. | 71-951-5 | 48-964-8 | -1% |
| 2013 | Brandon Lloyd | N.E. to S.F. | 74-911-5 | 14-294-1 | -75% |
| 2006 | Antonio Bryant | Cle. to S.F. | 69-1009-4 | 40-733-3 | -32% |
| 2010 | T.J. Houshmandzadeh | Sea. to Balt. | 79-911-3 | 30-398-3 | -53% |
| 2006 | • Keyshawn Johnson | Dall. to Car. | 71-839-6 | 70-815-5 | -6% |
| 2012 | Jabar Gaffney | Was. to Mia. | 68-947-5 | 4-68-0 | -94% |
| 2002 | Bill Schroeder | G.B. to Det. | 53-918-9 | 36-595-5 | -36% |
| 2003 | Curtis Conway | S.D. to NYJ | 57-852-7 | 46-640-2 | -36% |
| 2011 | Braylon Edwards | NYJ to S.F. | 53-904-7 | 15-181-0 | -82% |
| 2010 | •• Terrell Owens | Buff. to Cin. | 55-829-6 | 72-983-9 | 25% |
| 2016 | Travis Benjamin | Cle. to S.D. | 68-966-6 | 47-677-4 | -31% |
| 2015 | Andre Johnson | Hou. to Ind. | 85-936-3 | 41-503-4 | -41% |
| 2006 | Eric Moulds | Buff. to Hou. | 81-816-4 | 57-557-1 | -36% |
| 2002 | Cris Carter | Min. to Mia. | 73-871-6 | 8-66-1 | -90% |
| 2021 | Corey Davis | Ten. to NYJ | 65-984-5 | 34-492-4 | -45% |
| 2015 | Torrey Smith | Balt. to S.F. | 49-767-11 | 33-663-4 | -35% |
| 2006 | Joe Jurevicius | Sea. to Cle. | 55-694-10 | 40-495-3 | -42% |
| 2005 | • Laveranues Coles | Was. to NYJ | 90-950-1 | 73-845-5 | -2% |
| 2014 | •• Golden Tate | Sea. to Det. | 64-898-5 | 99-1331-4 | 39% |
| 2013 | •• Anquan Boldin | Balt. to S.F. | 65-921-4 | 85-1179-7 | 34% |
| 2018 | Michael Crabtree | Oak. to Balt. | 58-618-8 | 54-607-3 | -23% |
| 2015 | Eddie Royal | S.D. to Chi. | 62-778-7 | 37-238-1 | -64% |
| 2001 | Sean Dawkins | Sea. to Jac. | 63-731-5 | 20-234-0 | -74% |
| 2021 | Will Fuller | Hou. to Mia. | 53-879-8 | 4-26-0 | -95% |
| 2014 | •• Emmanuel Sanders | Pitt. to Den. | 67-740-6 | 101-1404-9 | 66% |
| 2001 | Charles Johnson | Phil. to N.E. | 56-642-7 | 14-111-1 | -81% |
| 2021 | Nelson Agholor | L.V. to N.E. | 48-896-8 | 37-473-3 | -44% |
| 2015 | •• Brandon Marshall | Chi. to NYJ | 61-721-8 | 109-1502-14 | 90% |
| 2011 | Chad Johnson | Cin. to N.E. | 67-831-4 | 15-276-1 | -72% |
| 2002 | Antonio Freeman | G.B. to Phil. | 52-818-6 | 46-600-4 | -24% |
| 2005 | David Patten | N.E. to Was. | 44-800-7 | 22-217-0 | -74% |
| 2007 | Reche Caldwell | N.E. to Was. | 61-760-4 | 15-141-0 | -82% |
| 2010 | • Nate Burleson | Sea. to Det. | 63-812-3 | 55-625-6 | -1% |
| 2013 | Percy Harvin | Min. to Sea. | 62-677-5 | 1-17-0 | -98% |
| 2009 | Torry Holt | St.L. to Jac. | 64-796-3 | 51-722-0 | -24% |
| 2016 | Marvin Jones | Cin. to Det. | 65-816-4 | 55-930-4 | -1% |
| 2014 | Jerricho Cotchery | Pitt. to Car. | 46-602-10 | 48-580-1 | -31% |
| 2006 | •• Terrell Owens | Phil. to Dall. | 47-763-6 | 85-1180-13 | 77% |
| 2011 | • Jabar Gaffney | Den. to Was. | 65-875-2 | 68-947-5 | 17% |
| 2014 | •• Steve Smith Sr. | Car. to Balt. | 64-745-4 | 79-1065-6 | 36% |
| 2017 | Cameron Meredith | Chi. to N.O. | 66-888-4 | 9-114-1 | -86% |
| 2015 | • James Jones | Oak. to G.B. | 73-666-6 | 50-890-8 | 9% |
| 2005 | •• Santana Moss | NYJ to Was. | 45-838-5 | 84-1483-9 | 78% |
| 2018 | Mike Wallace | Balt. to Phil. | 52-748-4 | 0-0-0 | -100% |
| 2015 | Kenny Stills | N.O. to Mia. | 63-931-3 | 27-440-3 | -49% |
| 2005 | Johnnie Morton | K.C. to S.F. | 55-795-3 | 21-288-0 | -68% |
| 2001 | James McKnight | Dall. to Mia. | 52-926-2 | 55-684-3 | -6% |
| 2006 | Brandon Lloyd | S.F. to Was. | 48-733-5 | 23-365-0 | -61% |
| 2018 | Paul Richardson | Sea. to Was. | 44-703-6 | 20-262-2 | -61% |
| 2016 | Anquan Boldin | S.F. to Det. | 69-789-4 | 67-584-8 | 1% |
| 2020 | •• Robby Anderson | NYJ to Car. | 52-779-5 | 95-1096-3 | 39% |
| 2001 | Dedric Ward | NYJ to Mia. | 54-801-3 | 21-209-0 | -72% |
| 2012 | Plaxico Burress | NYJ to Pitt. | 45-612-8 | 3-42-1 | -91% |
| 2002 | Darnay Scott | Cin. to Dall. | 57-819-2 | 22-218-1 | -66% |
| 2004 | Tai Streets | S.F. to Det. | 47-595-7 | 28-260-1 | -58% |
—Ian Allan