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The Lions have signed former Jets wideout Jeremy Kerley.

(AP File Photo)

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Jeremy Kerley used to be productive. Last year, he wasn't.

Another way of saying that: Jeremy Kerley used to be good. Last year, he wasn't.

But Kerley insists that's not accurate. That he is the same guy who used good quickness and great hands to twice lead the Jets in catches. And that it was the new coaches -- and their scheme -- that held him to 16 catches in 16 games last season.

"It was the opportunity I didn't get to actually play. That was the main reason (for the diminished production)," Kerley told MLive in a phone interview. "New coaching staff came in, they already knew the guys they wanted to play. They already had their scheme going, and they wanted bigger receivers."

To that end, Kerley chose to sign a one-year deal with the Lions this offseason because he saw it as the best opportunity to have an impact once again. Detroit likes to pass the ball and is turning over two of its top three receivers this year, with Calvin Johnson now retired and the club choosing not to re-sign Lance Moore.

"They sling the ball everywhere, so you always need a hand full of receivers," Kerley said. "Everyone's going to get a chance to get balls in the scheme they have, and help the team put up points. So along with that, they have a West Coast schematic kind of plan, and I think that fits my skill-set."

Was scheme really to blame for Kerley's fading in New York? There seems to be some credibility to what he's saying.

[Related: Scouting report on Jeremy Kerley]

After catching 29 passes as a rookie fifth-rounder in 2011, Kerley led the club in receptions two of the next three seasons. And he did it running more than 70 percent of his routes out of the slot, according to ProFootballFocus -- 71.2 percent in 2012, 77.2 percent in 2013 and 78.2 percent in 2014.

But then the Jets hired Todd Bowles as their coach last season, and the new regime acquired the bigger-bodied Brandon Marshall to play outside. That allowed Eric Decker to move inside, and he ran 68.1 percent of his routes from the slot.

Snaps that previously had gone to Kerley.

And, perhaps predictably, Kerley's production plummeted from 56 catches for 827 yards in 2014, to 16 catches for 152 yards in 2015. And it's actually worse when considering the bulk of his production occurred when the other starting receiver, Quincy Enunwa, was serving a four-game ban for a domestic violence incident.

Kerley had 10 catches for 119 yards during those four games.

When New York had its full complement of receivers, he had just six catches for 33 yards -- and all of that production came in a Week 3 loss against the Eagles.

In other words: When New York was at full strength at receiver, Kerley recorded an offensive statistic just once.

"The other (guys) were a lot more effective, so we threw the ball a lot more to them," Bowles said. "So obviously, we weren't getting the ball to him as much."

With Kerley fading from the offense, New York cut him this offseason.

Kerley wanted to land somewhere that would allow him to prosper again, and he thinks he found the ideal match in Detroit, where he instantly becomes the leader to start in the slot. Golden Tate and Marvin Jones are the other projected starters.

"It just felt like the best fit for me," he said. "Being with the Lions, it's a great opportunity to play, and play with some great people. Guys like Matthew Stafford, Golden Tate, Marvin, there's no telling how good we can be. I'm excited for the opportunity."

Kerley also has a fashion line he hopes to expand this year. He already sells T-shirts at his website, and says will be dropping a line of jeans in the coming months.

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