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Factoid

Transplant receivers

Brown's big debut season with Eagles ends at Super Bowl

It was a good year for transplant receivers. Five went for at least 1,100 yards, an NFL first. One of them, A.J. Brown, will play in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams and Brown led the way, collectively averaging 1,574 yards. They will change my thinking on transplant wide receivers (looking back, I was too low on all three of these guys, expecting them to decline with their new teams). Previously, only three had gone over 1,500 yards (ever) -- Stefon Diggs and Brandon Marshall twice.

A level down, Amari Cooper and Christian Kirk both went over 1,100 yards, proving to be solid investments for the Browns and Jaguars. Teams today, apparently, are better at bringing in a top receiver and getting him going from the jump.

Since the merger in 1970, I see 32 other wide receivers who’ve gone over 1,100 yards in their first season with a new team. I don’t see any other season with more than 3 such wide receivers.

TRANSPLANT RECEIVERS GOING FOR 1,000 YARDS
YearPlayerRecYdsAvgTDPrevious Year
2022• Tyreek Hill, Mia.119171014.47111-1239-9 (K.C.)
2020Stefon Diggs, Buff.127153512.1863-1130-6 (Min.)
2022• Davante Adams, L.V.100151615.214123-1553-11 (G.B.)
2012Brandon Marshall, Chi.118150812.81181-1214-6 (Mia.)
2015Brandon Marshall, NYJ109150213.81461-721-8 (Chi.)
2022• A.J. Brown, Phil.88149617.01163-869-5 (Ten.)
2007Randy Moss, N.E.98149315.22342-553-3 (Oak.)
2005Santana Moss, Was.84148317.7945-838-5 (NYJ)
2020DeAndre Hopkins, Ariz.115140712.26104-1165-7 (Hou.)
2014Emmanuel Sanders, Den.101140413.9967-740-6 (Pitt.)
1994Henry Ellard, Was.74139718.9661-945-2 (LAR)
2012Vincent Jackson, T.B.72138419.2860-1106-9 (S.D.)
1994Terance Mathis, Atl.111134212.11124-352-0 (NYJ)
2000Joe Horn, N.O.94134014.3835-586-6 (K.C.)
2014Golden Tate, Det.99133113.4464-898-5 (Sea.)
2008Antonio Bryant, T.B.83124815.0740-733-3 (S.F.)
2005Plaxico Burress, NYG76121416.0735-698-5 (Pitt.)
1990Andre Rison, Atl.82120814.71052-820-4 (Ind.)
2018Brandin Cooks, LAR80120415.1565-1082-7 (N.E.)
2003Laveranues Coles, Was.82120414.7689-1264-5 (NYJ)
2004Terrell Owens, Phil.77120015.61480-1102-9 (S.F.)
1996Irving Fryar, Phil.88119513.61162-910-8 (Mia.)
1995Eric Metcalf, Atl.104118911.4847-436-3 (Cle.)
1998Tony Martin, Atl.66118117.9663-904-6 (S.D.)
2006Terrell Owens, Dall.85118013.91347-763-6 (Phil.)
2013Anquan Boldin, S.F.85117913.9765-921-4 (Balt.)
2007Wes Welker, N.E.112117510.5867-687-1 (Mia.)
2014DeSean Jackson, Was.56116920.9682-1332-9 (Phil.)
1985Drew Hill, Hou.64116918.3914-390-4 (LAR)
2022• Amari Cooper, Cle.78116014.9968-865-8 (Dall.)
2020Brandin Cooks, Hou.81115014.2642-583-2 (LAR)
2001Jerry Rice, Oak.83113913.7975-805-7 (S.F.)
1996Keenan McCardell, Jac.85112913.3356-709-4 (Cle.)
2007Kevin Curtis, Phil.77111014.4640-479-4 (St.L.)
2022• Christian Kirk, Jac.84110813.2877-982-5 (Ariz.)
1994Anthony Miller, Den.60110718.5584-1162-7 (S.D.)
1999Qadry Ismail, Balt.68110516.360-0-0 (Min.)
1999Rocket Ismail, Dall.80109713.7669-1024-8 (Car.)
2020Robby Anderson, Car.95109611.5352-779-5 (NYJ)
1997Andre Rison, K.C.72109215.2747-593-3 (2TM)
1989Richard Johnson, Det.70109115.681-5-0 (Was.)
2015Jeremy Maclin, K.C.87108812.5885-1318-10 (Phil.)
2006Mike Furrey, Det.98108611.161-8-0 (St.L.)
2006Javon Walker, Den.69108415.784-27-0 (G.B.)
2017Brandin Cooks, N.E.65108216.7778-1173-8 (N.O.)
1999Patrick Jeffers, Car.63108217.21218-330-2 (Dall.)
2005Derrick Mason, Balt.86107312.5396-1168-7 (Ten.)
2014Steve Smith Sr., Balt.79106513.5664-745-4 (Car.)
2019John Brown, Buff.72106014.7642-715-5 (Balt.)
1976Charlie Joiner, S.D.50105621.1737-726-5 (Cin.)
1999Tony Martin, Mia.67103715.5566-1181-6 (Atl.)
2019Odell Beckham, Cle.74103514.0477-1052-6 (NYG)
1972John Gilliam, Min.47103522.0742-837-3 (St.L.)
2016Mike Wallace, Balt.72101714.1439-473-2 (Min.)
2010Brandon Marshall, Mia.86101411.83101-1120-10 (Den.)
1993Irving Fryar, Mia.64101015.8555-791-4 (N.E.)
2005Randy Moss, Oak.60100516.8849-767-13 (Min.)
1995Mark Carrier, Car.66100215.2329-452-5 (Cle.)

—Ian Allan

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