Marvin Jones: 'I’m Ready for That Opportunity' To Be a Leader for the Jaguars
Entering the 2021 offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars had endless questions about their roster.
One of the positions with the fewest questions, though? Wide receiver, a position highlighted by two promising former second-round picks in DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault Jr.
“I think they look great, off the bat, the two young guys," new Jaguars wide receiver Marvin Jones said on Monday.
"Obviously, I played here this past year, so you watch. When you play similar teams, you watch these guys on tape and they can flat out ball."
But it is because of those two young receivers that Jones was a key addition to the Jaguars in free agency last week. The Jaguars signed him to a two-year, $14.5 million deal with $9.2 million in guarantees following five productive seasons with the Detroit Lions.
Jones, 31, is entering his tenth NFL season. Meanwhile, Chark, 24, and Shenaut, 22, have combined for four NFL seasons. Chark and Shenault have played a combined 53 NFL games and caught a combined 198 passes. Meanwhile, Jones has played in 112 career games and caught 423 career passes.
For a Jaguars team that lost its three oldest and most experienced receivers in Chris Conley, Keelan Cole, and Dede Westbrook in free agency, adding Jones to a receiver room that has zero players currently over 25-years-old was a move made to ensure the Jaguars had a veteran leader to help take their young stars to the next level.
"I think it just shows you my worth. I’ve been doing this a long time at a high level. I wouldn’t say it’s pressure just because I felt like even when I was in Cincy when I was a young guy, I was still a leader in a way," Jones said on Monday. "So, I think everywhere I’ve been, every stop that I’ve made, I’ve been a leader, and that’s not necessarily saying I’m going to be the one that’s talking all the time and stuff like that. I like to show it and I think as you can look at my career, that’s what you see.
"You see that I am a leader on and off the field and I’m just excited for the opportunity to keep my level of play sky high and to take everybody with me. It’s a great room. I just talked to those guys and those guys are very personable, they’re hungry. So, I’m ready, I’m ready for that opportunity.”
The wide receivers aren't the only young players set to play key roles on the Jaguars' offense. Running back James Robinson will be entering just his second season, while the Jaguars are destined to start a rookie at quarterback -- presumably Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
While this amount of youthful talent is tantalizing, the Jaguars knew entering the offseason that they needed veterans to help instill a new culture. Jones is set to be one of the most significant of those veterans, not just because of his near-decade of NFL experience, but also because of his track record of production and consistency.
"The quarterback who comes in here, I’m going to be a tool that he can use, that he can lean on, and the same goes for everybody. I’m definitely excited for the future and excited for what’s going to happen. I’m just excited about this whole opportunity," Jones said.
Combine all of this with the fact that Jones would be reuniting with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and Jones, who recorded 138 catches on 206 targets for 1,757 yards (12.7 yards per catch) and 18 in two seasons in Bevell's offense, was an obvious addition for a Jaguars team needing an established voice.
Now, it will be up to Jones to continue to prove he can put up numbers in Bevell's offense and be the influential leader he has been at every other stop in his career. If his past seasons are any indication, the Jaguars should feel comfortable knowing they accomplished their goal of finding a leader for the offense and receiver room,
“It feels good obviously because I’m still here and I’m still playing at the top of my game," Jones said.
"I just met everybody, met the young receivers and they didn’t know I was 31. They were like, ‘Man, you look like us.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah. I’ll show you the way. I’ll show you how to get there.’ I’m here, I’m here to be that mentor and for them to follow me. I love that and I love that type of pressure. So yeah, it feels good.”
