Being a 1,000-yard receiver used to be a pretty big deal. In today's NFL, it's not even an assurance you'll keep your roster spot just one year later.
The Falcons released Harry Douglas yesterday, and he went over 1,000 yards for them in 2013. The Dolphins released Brian Hartline, and he went over 1,000 yards in both 2012 and 2013. Neither of those guys, though, are special talents, so it wasn't enough to save their jobs as teams start getting ready for free agency.
The table below shows all the 1,000-yard receivers over the last three seasons. In addition to the guys who already have been released, there are several others on that list who soon will be, or may be. Lance Moore, certainly. Marques Colston, Brandon Marshall and Vincent Jackson are other players who have been mentioned as cut candidates. Michael Crabtree, Torrey Smith and Wes Welker will all be available.
Most if not all of these receivers will find new homes, but relatively few of them will be hot commodities.
1,000-YARD RECEIVERS, 2012-2014 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Team | Rec | Yds | TD |
2012 | Calvin Johnson | DET | 122 | 1,964 | 5 |
2014 | Antonio Brown | PIT | 129 | 1,698 | 13 |
2013 | Josh Gordon | CLE | 87 | 1,646 | 9 |
2014 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | 111 | 1,619 | 11 |
2012 | Andre Johnson | HOU | 112 | 1,598 | 4 |
2014 | Julio Jones | ATL | 104 | 1,593 | 6 |
2014 | Jordy Nelson | GB | 98 | 1,519 | 13 |
2012 | Brandon Marshall | CHI | 118 | 1,508 | 11 |
2013 | Antonio Brown | PIT | 110 | 1,499 | 8 |
2013 | Calvin Johnson | DET | 84 | 1,492 | 12 |
2012 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | 94 | 1,434 | 10 |
2013 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | 92 | 1,430 | 14 |
2013 | A.J. Green | CIN | 98 | 1,426 | 11 |
2013 | Alshon Jeffery | CHI | 89 | 1,421 | 7 |
2013 | Andre Johnson | HOU | 109 | 1,407 | 5 |
2014 | Emmanuel Sanders | DEN | 101 | 1,404 | 9 |
2012 | Vincent Jackson | TB | 72 | 1,384 | 8 |
2012 | Dez Bryant | DAL | 92 | 1,382 | 12 |
2012 | Reggie Wayne | IND | 106 | 1,355 | 5 |
2012 | Wes Welker | NE | 118 | 1,354 | 6 |
2012 | Roddy White | ATL | 92 | 1,351 | 7 |
2012 | A.J. Green | CIN | 97 | 1,350 | 11 |
2013 | Pierre Garcon | WAS | 113 | 1,346 | 5 |
2014 | T.Y. Hilton | IND | 82 | 1,345 | 7 |
2013 | DeSean Jackson | PHI | 82 | 1,332 | 9 |
2014 | Golden Tate | DET | 99 | 1,331 | 4 |
2014 | Dez Bryant | DAL | 88 | 1,320 | 16 |
2014 | Jeremy Maclin | PHI | 85 | 1,318 | 10 |
2013 | Jordy Nelson | GB | 85 | 1,314 | 8 |
2014 | Odell Beckham | NYG | 91 | 1,305 | 12 |
2013 | Brandon Marshall | CHI | 100 | 1,295 | 12 |
2013 | Eric Decker | DEN | 87 | 1,288 | 11 |
2014 | Randall Cobb | GB | 91 | 1,287 | 12 |
2013 | Dez Bryant | DAL | 93 | 1,233 | 13 |
2013 | Vincent Jackson | TB | 78 | 1,224 | 7 |
2013 | Jimmy Graham | NO | 86 | 1,215 | 16 |
2014 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | 76 | 1,210 | 6 |
2012 | Julio Jones | ATL | 79 | 1,198 | 10 |
2013 | Anquan Boldin | SF | 85 | 1,179 | 7 |
2012 | Steve Smith | CAR | 73 | 1,174 | 4 |
2014 | DeSean Jackson | WAS | 56 | 1,169 | 6 |
2012 | Marques Colston | NO | 83 | 1,154 | 10 |
2014 | Alshon Jeffery | CHI | 85 | 1,133 | 10 |
2013 | Torrey Smith | BAL | 65 | 1,128 | 4 |
2014 | Rob Gronkowski | NE | 82 | 1,124 | 12 |
2012 | Michael Crabtree | SF | 85 | 1,105 | 9 |
2012 | Victor Cruz | NYG | 86 | 1,092 | 10 |
2012 | Brian Hartline | MIA | 74 | 1,083 | 1 |
2013 | T.Y. Hilton | IND | 82 | 1,083 | 5 |
2013 | Kendall Wright | TEN | 94 | 1,079 | 2 |
2014 | Calvin Johnson | DET | 71 | 1,077 | 8 |
2013 | Harry Douglas | ATL | 85 | 1,067 | 2 |
2014 | Steve Smith | BAL | 79 | 1,065 | 6 |
2012 | Eric Decker | DEN | 85 | 1,064 | 13 |
2014 | Anquan Boldin | SF | 83 | 1,062 | 5 |
2013 | Julian Edelman | NE | 105 | 1,056 | 6 |
2014 | Mike Evans | TB | 68 | 1,051 | 12 |
2013 | Keenan Allen | SD | 71 | 1,046 | 8 |
2012 | Steve Johnson | BUF | 79 | 1,046 | 6 |
2014 | A.J. Green | CIN | 69 | 1,041 | 6 |
2012 | Lance Moore | NO | 65 | 1,041 | 6 |
2013 | Michael Floyd | ARI | 65 | 1,041 | 5 |
2012 | Jason Witten | DAL | 110 | 1,039 | 3 |
2013 | Brian Hartline | MIA | 76 | 1,016 | 4 |
2014 | Greg Olsen | CAR | 84 | 1,008 | 6 |
2014 | Kelvin Benjamin | CAR | 73 | 1,008 | 9 |
2014 | Vincent Jackson | TB | 70 | 1,002 | 2 |
--Andy Richardson