The New York Jets released Braxton Berrios following the 2022 season
Braxton Berrios’ days with the New York Jets were numbered from the time he signed his contract. The way his cap hits were set up clearly indicated that.
Apparently, he didn’t realize that.
“I didn’t (expect it),” Berrios told Forbes. “But this is part of the business — you learn not to have so many expectations — as sad as that is — and you have a loyalty to the team you’re with and sometimes they serve that and sometimes they don’t. They have to do what they think is best for them. I can’t say I necessarily saw it (the move coming), but obviously it worked out and it was meant to happen.”
Berrios was a first-team All-Pro returner in 2021 after posting a kick return average of 30.4 yards, including a touchdown, and a punt return average of 13.4 yards. In the 2022 offseason, he signed a two-year, $12 million deal to remain with the Jets. However, after a statistical decline in 2022, the Jets released him to save $5 million in cap space.
It wasn’t just that Berrios’ numbers went down, either. He averaged 23.3 yards per kick return and 11.4 yards per punt return in 2022. What really vexed Jets fans was his sudden inability to judge when to fair catch a punt and when to let it go. This resulted in several Jets’ drives unnecessarily starting deep in their own territory.
Berrios was matter-of-fact in discussing the business side of the matter. “You have to accept it for what it is and not lose love for the game along the way,” he said.
The release allowed Berrios to return to his childhood favorite team, the Miami Dolphins. Miami had been interested in him the previous offseason before he re-signed with the Jets.
Berrios was okay as a returner in his first season with Miami. He averaged 24.5 yards per kick return and 10.2 yards per punt return. The latter was his lowest career mark of the four seasons when he had at least 15 attempts. With the new kickoff rules, his role is slated to be more critical in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Jets’ return production decreased from 2022 to 2023. Outside his punt return touchdown in Week 1, Xavier Gipson averaged just 7.9 yards per punt return. He was at 23.3 yards per kick return. Interestingly, Gipson and Berrios put up similar receiving numbers: Gipson had 21 catches for 229 yards, while Berrios had 27 catches for 238 yards and 1 touchdown.
The difference between Berrios and Gipson, though, comes down to money. Gipson was an undrafted free agent and has a cap hit of $920,000 in 2024. Berrios’ is $2.1 million in Miami.
The Jets and Berrios have both moved on. It’s just interesting to hear that it came a year earlier than he expected.