Ex-Cal WR Marvin Jones Signs With Jaguars
Former Cal wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. became the second free agent to join the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jones, who played the past five seasons with the Detroit Lions in 2020, has agreed to a a two-year, $14.5 million deal, including $9.2 million fully guaranteed, according to ESPN.
Jones joins former Cal defensive lineman Tyson Alualu, who also signed with the Jaguars as a free agent. Jones and Alualu were Cal temmates in 2008 when Alualu was a senior and Jones was a freshman.
In Jacksonville, Jones will be reunited with former Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, who holds the same position on coach Urban Meyer's staff in Jacksonville.
The 31-year-old Jones was a fifth-round pick in 2012 and had one of his best seasons in 2020.
He had a career-high 76 receptions last season for 978 yards, which was the second-best single-season total in his eight-year NFL career. He also had nine touchdown catches, one off his single-season career high.
Jones had his success in 2020 with Matthew Stafford throwing the passes for the Lions, but he was traded to the Rams in a deal that brought former Cal quarterback to the Lions. But it became apparent that Goff and Jones would not form an all-Cal passing combination when Jones started hinting that he would like to play elsewhere.
Gardner Minshew is Jacksonville's starting quarterback for now, but Trevor Lawrence is likely to be throwing the passes to Jones in 2021.
Here is what ESPN.com said about the move:
What it means: Jones, who is coming off a career high in receptions (76) and the second-highest yardage total of his career (978), gives the Jaguars a durable, productive player who can help groom a young group of receivers. Since missing the entire 2014 season because of an ankle injury, Jones has missed just 11 games since. He has nine touchdown catches in three of the past four seasons. The Jaguars haven't had a receiver with nine or more TD catches since Allen Robinson (14) and Allen Hurns (10) in 2015.
What's the risk: The 31-year-old Jones has seen his yards per catch drop from a league-best 18.0 yards in 2017 to 12.6 and 12.9 the past two seasons, so he may not be as much of a downfield threat as he once was. The Jaguars have DJ Chark Jr. and Phillip Dorsett to stretch the field, though. And there's nothing better for a young quarterback as he adjusts to life in the NFL than than a veteran receiver.
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Cover photo of Marvin Jones Jr. by Raj Mehta, USA TODAY Sports
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