North Carolina State University Athletics
Former Pack Receiver Cotchery Signs Contract Extension
3/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
NEW YORK - Former NC State wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, who had a breakout year with the NFL's New York Jets last season, signed a contract extension with the team on Thursday.
Cotchery set career highs with 82 catches, 961 yards receiving and six touchdowns while starting every game for the Jets last season.
Three years after setting NC State's career reception record with 200 catches from 2000-03, Cotchery combined with Laveranues Coles to form the most productive receiving tandem in team history. The duo combined for 173 catches and 12 touchdowns.
"Jerricho Cotchery is the type of player we are looking for here," general manager Mike Tannenbaum said in a statement. "He earned a starting role this year and showed the productivity and consistency we want at that position."
Terms of the extension were not released by the Jets. The 24-year-old Cotchery would've been eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after next season.
Cotchery had 25 receptions in his first two seasons, playing mostly on special teams - including returning a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown in the 2004 regular-season finale at St. Louis. He impressed new head coach Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer in training camp last summer, and won the job as the team's No. 2 receiver behind Coles.
Cotchery was involved in the two longest plays from scrimmage of the Jets' season - both against New England. He had a 71-yard touchdown catch-and-run in Week 2, and had a 77-yard touchdown catch in the playoff loss against the Patriots.
"Jerricho Cotchery exemplifies everything we are looking for in our players," coach Eric Mangini said in a statement. "He is smart, tough, hardworking, selfless, competitive and football is important to him. During training camp, he took advantage of the opportunity to compete and became not only a starter but a key contributor to what the team was able to accomplish in 2006. I am pleased that Jerricho will remain with the Jets for years to come."
