Settling into the team's slot receiver role with little trouble last season as a rookie, Jamison Crowder wants to be more of a scoring threat in his second season.
Whenever you're mentioned in the same sentence as Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Monk, you have to be doing something right.
That was the case for Washington Redskins wide receiver Jamison Crowder last year, as the 2015 fourth-round pick shattered Monk's long-standing franchise rookie receptions record by hauling in 59 passes for 604 yards and two touchdowns.
Like Monk did in his second season, though, when he doubled his scoring total from three to six touchdowns, Crowder wants to become a more frequent visitor to the end zone this year.
"One of my goals is to obviously score more touchdowns for this year," Crowder said. "I feel scoring is better than obviously catching, but like I was saying, I don't really look at it as a competition. I more so look at it as whenever I get an opportunity, whenever the ball comes my way, I've got to make sure I make the catch and do what I do. "
Earlier in the offseason, Crowder proclaimed that the Redskins have the league's best, and deepest, wide receivers corps.
Even though rookie Josh Doctson has yet to see the practice field as he remains on the Active/Physically Unable To Perform list, the group's play through the first week of training camp backs up that statement.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins has had no issue spreading the ball around, with the 5-foot-8, 182-pound Crowder serving as one of his most consistent weapons. With his second season creeping up, Crowder feels like his bond with Cousins will only strengthen this season with a successful foundation put in place last winter.
"We have a pretty good relationship," Crowder said. "It's not like we're always together but it's a pretty good relationship. I feel like Kirk is always confident in me as far as getting the job done and route running and catching the football, and I have all the confidence in Kirk that he will make the plays."
Crowder himself believes he's more of a complete player right now, even though his smooth play during last year's training camp was indicative of a rookie season where he looked as battle ready as any receiver in football.
"I feel like my whole game, as far as being able to read the coverage and everything I feel I have improved in that area," Crowder said. "I feel like just being comfortable in the offense has improved. Last year each game was like a learning step for me, even that playoff game. I feel like right now, just improved and mature more from year one to now, Year Two."
