Marvin Jones

More Fallout From Matthew Stafford Trade

February 7th, 2021 at 12:53pm CST by Rory Parks

It’s been a week since the Rams and Lions completed the Matthew Stafford trade, but the fallout from that deal is ongoing. Here’s the latest:

We previously heard that the Panthers offered their No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft, plus a later pick, for Stafford. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), that later selection was a fifth-rounder, and Carolina also included Teddy Bridgewater in the proposal, so the Lions would at least have had a veteran signal-caller to take Stafford’s place while they groomed a younger QB. Plus, Detroit would have had the No. 7 and No. 8 overall picks in the draft, so it would have had a terrific chance to land a top collegiate passer and another elite prospect, or at least enough ammo to trade up for a top QB prospect.
What’s more, Bridgewater’s contract is much less onerous than that of Jared Goff, who ended up going to the Lions in the swap. But as Peter Schrager of the NFL Network tweets, the Lions didn’t just take on Goff’s contract in order to squeeze more draft picks out of the Rams. They actually wanted Goff and believe he can regain the form he displayed in the 2017-18 seasons, which is a key factor in evaluating Detroit’s return.
When negotiations with the Rams commenced, though, the Lions were interested in another high-profile LA player. As Schefter reports in a separate tweet, Detroit first requested DT Aaron Donald, a request that the Rams summarily dismissed. Donald just landed his third Defensive Player of the Year award, and he obviously would have gone a long way towards the Lions’ much-needed defensive rebuild.
Stafford’s presence is attracting free agents to the Rams, as Schefter writes. Already, players have reached out to Stafford to express their interest in teaming up with him in Los Angeles, and Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones — who is eligible for free agency — is one such player. However, the Rams are projected to be well over the new salary cap of $180.5MM, so it’s unclear how active they will be in the free agent market.

Marvin Jones’ Youngest Son Passes Away

December 28th, 2019 at 7:13pm CST by Marc Delucchi

A tragedy has struck the NFL today. Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones and his wife Jazmyn Jones lost their youngest son, Marlo Jones, on Friday. Marlo was the youngest of the couples five children and was just six months old. No details have been released surrounding the circumstances of the death.

The Lions broke the news through a team press release earlier today.

Jones later confirmed the news in an Instagram post that featured a photo of Marlo and the following statement: “Yesterday the Lord called home a piece of my family’s heart, Marlo. It is hard to believe that our little angel, our fighter from day one, our son ‘Marlito’ has unfortunately passed away and is no longer here with us. Marlo, the joy that you brought to us everyday, with that smile, and that energy was like heaven on earth. You will always be in our hearts. We will always remember you. We did not get the chance to hear your first words (It would’ve been in Spanish too) ☺️. We didn’t get to see you run with your brothers and sister, you ran with them with your eyes everyday. We know that everything that We do from here on out will be with you. Every step we take, you will be with us. Whenever we have a bad day, We will think of your smile. We miss you already buddy and will forever love you. Rest peacefully our sweet baby boy. You have gained your wings.“

The entire staff at Pro Football Rumors offers our condolences to the Jones family.

Lions Place Marvin Jones On IR

December 10th, 2019 at 3:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions placed wide receiver Marvin Jones on IR, head coach Matt Patricia announced. The ankle injury suffered by Jones late in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings proved to be fairly serious and he’ll be held out of action the rest of the way in order to heal up.

Jones had three receptions for 38 yards in the loss and played through the pain to finish the game. This brings an early end to a productive season for the veteran, who finishes out with 62 catches for 779 yards and nine touchdowns (four of those scores came in the Lions’ first game against the Vikings.)

Jones will turn 30 in March and is set to earn a base salary of $6.5MM in 2020. In theory, the Lions can cut him instead – saving $6.5MM against just $2.695MM in dead money. However, Jones has demonstrated clear value, so it stands to reason that he’ll be back next year.

Jones also finished the 2018 season on IR, thanks to a knee injury. It’s undoubtedly frustrating for Jones, but he did succeed in having a bounce back year – he easily topped his 2018 stat line of 35/508/5.

To fill Jones’ roster spot, the Lions signing defensive tackle Frank Herron off of the Dolphins’ practice squad.

Extra Points: Steelers, Lions, Broncos, Jets

June 22nd, 2019 at 9:15pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Nat Berhe had a disappointing season in Pittsburgh last year. The safety signed with the Steelers last April, was released at final cuts, and then re-signed before Week 1. He was a minor contributor on defense and special teams for a few weeks, before landing on injured reserve with a pec injury. Berhe remains a free agent now, and he recently told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com that he had “some early contact” with the Steelers this offseason (Twitter link).

Berhe also told Fowler that he’s open to returning to the Steelers in 2019, but for now he’s “focused on adding size” before landing in a training camp. A San Diego State product, Berhe originally entered the league as a fifth round pick of the Giants back in 2014. He spent the first four years of his career in New York before signing a one-year, $790K deal with the Steelers. It’s not shocking that teams haven’t exactly been beating down his door to sign him.

Here’s more from around the league:

2019 is going to be a very key season for Lions receiver Marvin Jones. After Detroit traded away Golden Tate, Jones was supposed to take over as the clear top receiver. Unfortunately, Jones’ season was ended in late November by a knee injury. According to Dake Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, there was some drama between Jones and the team after Jones criticized Matt Patricia’s policy of having injured players watch games from the press box on social media. Interestingly, Birkett writes that Jones “doesn’t seem long for a Patricia-coached team that has moved on from other players who aren’t yes-sir-I’ll-do-whatever-you-say types.” That being said, Birkett would be shocked if anything were to happen before the end of the season, as they’re counting on Jones to be a large part of the offense. Still it sounds like Jones, who didn’t participate in OTAs or minicamp due to his injury, might not be in the team’s longterm plans.
Heading into last season, the Broncos had one of the most stable kicking situations in the league. They had recently given a huge extension to Brandon McManus, but then McManus struggled last season. He wasn’t himself, and then Denver added former AAF kicker Taylor Bertolet this offseason. Despite the addition of competition, it “doesn’t appear McManus’ job is in any jeopardy,” writes Kyle Fredrickson of the Denver Post. Per Fredrickson, Broncos coach Vic Fangio recently said McManus is the “obvious incumbent,” and that Bertolet “would have to knock him out like in a heavyweight battle” to win the job.
The Jets made a splashy move this offseason by bringing in Le’Veon Bell, but he wasn’t the only running back they added. New York also signed Ty Montgomery, who has apparently been making an impression. Montgomery started his career with the Packers, and was traded to the Ravens at the deadline last season before inking a one-year deal with the Jets in April. Montgomery so far has “been the beneficiary of Le’Veon Bell staying away for much of the voluntary portion of the offseason program,” as he’s “gotten a ton of reps,” according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Costello writes that he’s also the “current favorite to be the kick returner” in 2019. Montgomery was a starter at times for the Packers in 2016 and 2017, but fell out of favor in Green Bay. Playing for only $895K with just $90K of it guaranteed, it sounds like he’s got a decent shot to re-establish himself with the Jets.

Lions To Place WR Marvin Jones On IR

November 26th, 2018 at 2:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marvin Jones‘ third Lions season will come to an end early. Detroit will place the veteran wide receiver on IR, Justin Rogers of the Detroit News tweets.

A knee injury has sidelined Jones in recent weeks. The Lions are signing linebacker Nicholas Grigsby to fill Jones’ roster spot, per Rogers (on Twitter).

Detroit dealt Golden Tate to Philadelphia this season but soon after lost Jones to injury. The 2017 Lions saw both players exceed 1,000 yards, making them the only 1,000-1,000 receiver tandem last season, but this year’s group will play without both the rest of the way. Kenny Golladay will take over as the Lions’ No. 1 wideout.

Signed through 2020 on his $40MM deal, Jones had played in 31 regular-season games with Detroit from 2016-17. He’ll end up missing seven this season. The 28-year-old wideout caught 35 passes for 508 yards and five touchdowns this season.

North Notes: McCarthy, Lions, Tuitt, Ravens

November 16th, 2018 at 4:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike McCarthy‘s enjoyed the benefit of coaching two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks, and the Packers have qualified for nine playoff brackets in the coach’s 12 previous seasons. But with the team in danger of missing the NFC bracket for the second straight season, McCarthy appears to be firmly on the hot seat. The 13th-year Green Bay coach’s job status is “pretty clearly” uncertain regarding 2019, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). McCarthy signed a one-year extension to take him through the ’19 season, so the team isn’t committed long-term here. He’s now reporting to team president Mark Murphy under the post-Ted Thompson power structure, and with Brian Gutekunst now GM, different voices will have a say if McCarthy will be brought back.

“That’s the job. That’s the way this business has gone,” McCarthy said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, when asked about his status. “I’m not going to get into comparables, but at the end of the day that’s part of the job responsibility of the head coach. We set a standard here the past 12 years and it’s our responsibility to play to that standard.”

The Packers are venturing near must-win territory if they want to secure their ninth playoff berth in 10 seasons. They face the Vikings in Minnesota next week.

Here’s the latest from the North divisions:

The post-Megatron Lions relied on the Marvin Jones–Golden Tate tandem. For the first time since Calvin Johnson retired, neither will suit up for Detroit. Jones is out for Sunday’s game against the Panthers after missing practice this week, and ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein reports the veteran Lions wideout is seeking a second opinion on his injured right knee. Initial tests revealed no damage to Jones’ ACL or MCL, and Jones was diagnosed with a bone bruise. He’ll miss only his second game as a Lion. T.J. Jones would likely be the starter in Marvin Jones‘ place.
T.J. Lang‘s Lions tenure hasn’t gone as smoothly from a health standpoint. The former Pro Bowl guard landed on IR this week because of a neck injury, but that setback is not believed to be career-threatening, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. Lang also suffered a concussion that forced him to miss time earlier this season. He only played in six games this season after missing three in 2017. Set for his age-32 season next year, Lang — with an $11.1MM cap number — will be a release candidate in the offseason. The Lions could save more than $8MM by releasing the acclaimed blocker. Lang is due a $500K roster bonus on the fourth day of the upcoming league year.
Darius Slay, however, will be back for the Lions after missing Week 10. Bears wideout Allen Robinson gouged the Lions in Slay’s absence, but the All-Pro cornerback was not on the injury report as of Friday and will return Sunday.
While the 2018 Jaguars haven’t been the kind of impediment the 2017 version was, the Steelers will be without a key starter in their attempt to beat a team that went 2-0 against them last season. Stephon Tuitt will miss Sunday’s game with an elbow injury he sustained against the Panthers. Tyson Alualu will start in Tuitt’s place up front, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.
Although Robert Griffin III has been mentioned as a possible Ravens starter Sunday, the expectation remains Lamar Jackson will take the reins, Jeff Zreibec of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Jackson’s hospital trip Thursday, coupled with Joe Flacco‘s hip injury, left Griffin as the Ravens’ lone practice quarterback that day. But Jackson returned to practice Friday.

NFC North Notes: Lions, Packers, Bears

November 14th, 2018 at 7:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Matthew Stafford hasn’t had a particularly productive campaign in 2018, and the Lions have struggled to a 3-6 record while ranking just 9th in offensive DVOA. But that doesn’t mean Detroit will have any interest — or opportunity — to move on from its veteran quarterback this offseason, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. “You’ve got as much chance of getting rid of Matthew Stafford as the Baltimore Ravens did of Joe Flacco prior to next year, because there was no way they were ever getting rid of Joe Flacco because of the way his contract was structured until 2019 at the earliest,” says former agent and current CBS.com contributor Joel Corry. Stafford signed a five-year, $135MM extension in 2017 that included a $50MM signing bonus. That bonus is prorated through 2021 at a rate of $10MM annually, meaning it will be virtually impossible for the Lions to cut Stafford before 2020. Among the 25 signal-callers that have attempted at least 250 passes this season, Stafford ranks just 15th in passer rating and 20th in adjusted net yards per attempt.

Here’s more from the NFC North:

One of Stafford’s weapons, wide receiver Marvin Jones, went down with a knee injury in Sunday’s loss to the Bears, but tests showed the Lions pass-catcher’s ACL and MCL are both intact, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. However, Jones did suffer a bone bruise and is now considered day-to-day. It’s unclear if Jones will be able to play against the Panthers in Week 11, but Detroit needs all the receivers it can find (having already traded Golden Tate to the Eagles earlier this month). If Jones can’t go, fellow wideouts Bruce Ellington, Brandon Powell, and T.J. Jones would see more work behind starter Kenny Golladay. Marvin Jones, currently in his third season with the Lions, has posted 35 receptions, 508 yards, and five touchdowns this year.
Speaking of injuries, the Packers will be without several of their key players when they face the Seahawks on Thursday night. Per Schefter (Twitter link), wide receiver Randall Cobb, linebacker Nick Perry, cornerback Kevin King, and safety Kentrell Brice will not make the trip to Seattle. Cobb’s absence means rookie pass-catchers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown will continue to see more work alongside Davante Adams, while Perry will be replaced by Kyler Fackrell and Reggie Gilbert. King, meanwhile, didn’t play in Week 10, leaving cornerback snaps to to Jaire Alexander, Josh Jackson, and Bashaud Breeland.
The Bears did not try to re-sign guard Tom Compton this past offseason, the veteran tells Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “No,” he said. “They were pretty up front about that.” Compton wound up signing with the Vikings for less than he made with the Bears in 2017. After earning $1.85MM on a one-year deal with Chicago, he inked a one-year, $900K deal with Minnesota. Originally signed to be a backup, Compton was thrust into the starting lineup after Nick Easton suffered a season-ending injury in August.
In case you missed it, the Lions placed starting right guard T.J. Lang on injured reserve, meaning his season is now over due to a neck injury.

Lions, Marvin Jones Restructure Deal

October 30th, 2018 at 1:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions restructured the contract of wide receiver Marvin Jones, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The adjustment will save the Lions $2.2MM against the salary cap.

After the Lions traded Golden Tate to the Eagles on Tuesday, Jones is in line for an even bigger role in the offense. And, by tweaking his deal, Jones may have opened the door for some of his teammates to receive extensions.

Jones inked a five-year, $40MM free agent deal with the Lions prior to the 2016 season. He’s contract, with two years to go, allows the Lions to release him after the season with $3.2MM in dead money versus $4.9MM in savings. Details of the restructure are unknown, but Jones may have gained some security for 2019 in exchange for his concession.

Jones, 28, caught seven passes for 117 yards and two scores against the Seahawks on Sunday. Heading into a Week 9 matchup against the Vikings, Jones has 26 grabs for 387 yards and five scores on the year.

North Notes: McCown, Iloka, Vikes, Lions

August 11th, 2016 at 5:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Interestingly, the Browns’ decision to give Robert Griffin III all of their first-team reps in training camp before naming him their starting quarterback Tuesday was backup Josh McCown‘s idea, writes Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

“(McCown) was the guy that came to me and said, ‘Hey coach, make sure this guy gets all the reps he needs to be the best he can be,”’ said first-year Browns head coach Hue Jackson. “(He said) ‘you know who I am.’ Obviously he would love to have the job too, but I think he understands his role.”

That was an unselfish move by McCown, who was ostensibly going to compete for the No. 1 job with Griffin, the Browns’ most noteworthy offseason addition. The 37-year-old has instead served as a mentor to Griffin, 26, with Jackson saying,“A lot of him getting better has to do with Josh McCown.”

As a result of both his leadership and his status as a quality reserve, the Browns would like to retain McCown, notes Cabot, who points out that they rejected Dallas’ attempt to acquire him last week.

More from the NFL’s North-based divisions:

Before he re-signed with the Bengals for five years and $30MM in March, standout safety George Iloka considered accepting an offer from the Vikings, he said Wednesday (via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press). Joining the Vikings would’ve meant playing for head coach Mike Zimmer, whom Iloka worked under from 2012-13 when Zimmer was the Bengals’ defensive coordinator. “If I was going there, I was going because of Zim,” Iloka, 26, revealed. “I know what type of locker room he has there just by the type of coach he is. But I really wanted to come back. My chances of leaving Cincinnati weren’t too high, and I’m back.’’
The versatility of big-money offseason signing Marvin Jones, including his ability to cause damage downfield, could make him the Lions’ No. 1 receiver, says Kyle Meinke of MLive.com (video link). Whereas Golden Tate is at his best as a short- to medium-yardage option, quarterback Matthew Stafford has targeted Jones all over the field in training camp, per Meinke, who praises the 26-year-old’s route-running abilities. Fulfilling the role of a No. 1 wideout would be new for Jones, who played second fiddle to elite receiver AJ Green in Cincinnati from 2012-15. Still, Jones is fresh off a productive year (65 catches, 816 yards and four touchdowns), which led the Calvin Johnson-less Lions to award him a five-year, $40MM contract in free agency.
In an early projection of the Ravens’ 53-man roster, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun lists safety Matt Elam and inside linebacker Arthur Brown (the club’s first- and second-round picks from 2013) as players on track to miss the cut. Elam could lose his spot to Terrence Brooks, who has impressed in training camp, per Zrebiec. Notably, the Ravens declined Elam’s fifth-year option for 2017 earlier this offseason, which came after he struggled in 2014 and then missed the 2015 campaign because of a biceps tear. Releasing Elam, who also has a suspension in his past, would save Baltimore $1.33MM. The club would free up less than $900K by parting with Brown, who has amassed just 17 tackles and a half-sack in 34 games (zero starts).
In case you missed it, scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas ran down which Bears rookies could make impacts this year.

Lions Sign Marvin Jones

March 10th, 2016 at 3:41pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 3:41pm: The Lions have officially signed Jones, the team announced today in a press release.

WEDNESDAY, 1:58pm: It’s a five-year, $40MM deal for Jones, per Rapoport (Twitter link). $17MM is fully guaranteed ($20MM guaranteed overall), and Jones will earn $27MM through the first three years.

9:00am: Jones told Michael Silver of NFL Network (on Twitter) that it was a “stressful decision” for him, but he ultimately chose the Lions over the Bengals.

8:24am: The Lions will sign wide receiver Marvin Jones, according sources who spoke with Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Jones will give Detroit some reinforcements following the retirement of Calvin Johnson, though he probably won’t be counted on to singularly replace his production. The deal will pay Jones roughly $8MM per year, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

It was reported earlier today that Jones was atop the Lions’ wish list, though Detroit certainly wasn’t alone in that regard. The Giants were also high on the veteran, new Browns coach Hue Jackson wanted a reunion, and the incumbent Bengals considered him to be a priority free agent.

In 13 starts last season, Jones caught 65 passes for 816 yards and four touchdowns. It was a solid bounceback for Jones after he lost the 2014 season due to an injured ankle. When considering him, the Browns were reportedly hoping that Jones could break out as a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver if he’s not playing in the shadow of star A.J. Green and one has to imagine that the Lions are thinking the same thing.

Golden Tate‘s deal with the Lions, inked one year ago, was thought to be a possible reference point for a deal. Tate signed with Detroit on a five-year deal worth $31MM, including $16MM in guaranteed cash. Based on AAV, it sounds like Jones has bested Tate.

With Jones out of the picture, the Bengals might have even more incentive to get something done with fellow free agent receiver Mohamed Sanu. Jones’ contract also pushes the market for free agent wide receivers. While PFR had Jones ranked as the No. 1 available receiver this offseason, his $8MM average annual value trumps what most projected for him. There are several receiver-needy teams this week and other top options like Travis Benjamin, Rishard Matthews, Rueben Randle, Anquan Boldin, and Jermaine Kearse could benefit from Jones’ payday.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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