Amid all of the free agency movement on Thursday came news that WR Corey Davis will attempt to return to the NFL after stepping away from the game last August.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates on Thursday, Davis, 29, has applied for reinstatement to the NFL. The New York Jets are expected to release Davis from the Reserve/Retired list on Thursday although a return to New York on a new contract is in play.
Last August, Davis released a statement on his Instagram account, saying he had been mulling a decision to step away from football for “some time now.” He did not use the word “retirement” or give a reason for walking away in his statement. The Jets placed Davis on the Reserve/Retired list after the wide receiver made that decision, meaning they retained his rights through the 2023 season, the final year of his contract.
Why post about Davis on this site? Well, he was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Western Michigan. New Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was a member of the Titans coaching staff for the four seasons that Davis played in Tennessee. Those final two seasons, 2019-2020, Smith was the Titans’ offensive coordinator.
In his four seasons with the Titans, Davis caught 207 passes for 2,851 yards with 11 touchdowns. His best season in Tennessee came in 2020 when he caught 92 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns.
Davis was an unrestricted free agent in 2021, and he signed a three-year, $37.5 million contract with the Jets that reportedly included $27 million fully guaranteed. In his two seasons prior to stepping away from football, Davis caught a total of 66 passes for 1,028 yards and six touchdowns. He only played in 22 games over those two seasons because of injuries.
With Davis looking like he will return and with the Jets likely to release him, one must really wonder what his current value is now, and which teams might be interested in signing him. The Steelers could be a team that fits Davis and mainly because of Smith and head coach Mike Tomlin. Davis, however, would likely need to play for near or at the minimum for the Steelers to take a chance on him.
Davis was a solid player in his prime and that includes his play as a blocker as well. Even so, there is no guarantee that he now has what it takes to be a regular NFL contributor as a wide receiver. It will be interesting to see how his situation ultimately plays out, however.
UPDATE:
