Many 31-year-old receivers don’t get a second chance when they’re cut by an NFL team, but Packers wideout James Jones was confident he’d eventually find his footing.
The veteran signed with the Giants early this offseason, but he was cut by the squad in early September. Jones quickly caught on with his former team, but no one expected this kind of production. Through four games, the wideout has compiled 17 catches for 317 yards and four touchdowns.
“I never doubted that I could play the game,” Jones told Ryan Wood of PackersNews.com. “It’s just the hand you’re dealt sometimes. New coaches come in, and they get rid of certain guys. You don’t know why. I don’t ask no questions. I just go about my business, ‘Thanks for the opportunity,’ and look for the next door to open. Where was I mentally? I was in a great spot because I knew I still could play. There were a lot of teams who needed a receiver. So I knew I would land somewhere. I never doubted nothing.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC…
- Former Washington coach Mike Shanahan is confident that quarterback Kirk Cousins can be a foundational piece for a contender. “I think he’s a guy that can take your team and win a Super Bowl,” Shanahan told ESPN 980, via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. “And that’s the biggest compliment I can give somebody. Does this person have the ability, the ingredients, that if he has the right supporting cast on offense/defense and special teams, can he win you a Super Bowl? And I believe that Kirk Cousins has that ability.”
- Lions vice chairman Bill Ford Jr. acknowledged that his role within the franchise has been reduced, while his mother Martha Ford has taken on a larger role. “She is [in charge],” Ford Jr. told WJR Radio (via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com). “She is, and since my dad died, I’ve been less involved with the Lions and the NFL. She is very much in charge, and she’s got the decision-making role.”
- Rolando McClain made his return to practice this week, and the linebacker admitted it was tough to sit out the Cowboys‘ first four games. “It’s always good to watch football, be a part of it, not to get out of it, keep your mind in it, but in a way it was frustrating,” McClain told ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. “Frustrating for myself and for the fact that I feel like I should have been out there to help my team. Luckily those four weeks flew by and I finally get to go out and play football and contribute to this defense and contribute to this team.”
Gotta say, I think Mike Shanahan has more confidence in Kirk Cousins than I do. He’s looked a little better this year, but if Washington falls behind by 10 points or so in a game, I’m not all that confident in Cousins bringing them back.