Matt Jones - Pro Football Rumors

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, OBJ, Redskins

June 13th, 2017 at 5:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Earlier this week, Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant attempted to recruit free agent cornerback Darrelle Revis via Twitter. Subsequent reports indicated that the organization wasn’t pursuing the veteran, but head coach Jason Garrett was rather vague when addressing the rumors today.

“Yeah, I really don’t know the nature of that,” Garrett said (via Jon Machota of The Dallas News). “Obviously we have a lot of respect for Revis. He’s been a great player in this league for a long time.”

Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli deferred to the front office.

“I wouldn’t even speculate on anything like that,” he said. “That’s in the front office. They are the ones that decide those things.”

Predictably, Marinelli acknowledged that there could be a role for the seven-time Pro Bowler.

“Any great player you can,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where he’s at, what position.”

As we wait to see how this plays out, let’s take a look at other notes from the NFC East…

Odell Beckham Jr. grabbed headlines this month by staying away from the Giants during OTAs, but he says that he’s not fretting his contract situation. “I leave that in the hands of the man above,” Beckham said (according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post on Twitter). “When that time comes, that time comes. Right now is really not the time to discuss it. When it comes, it’ll come.”
Giants defensive end Owa Odighizuwa is handling “personal issues” and isn’t expected to be present at mandatory minicamp, reports ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter). The former third-round pick, who also wasn’t present for OTAs, has played in 18 games over the past two seasons, compiling six tackles.
Redskins running back Matt Jones was absent during OTAs, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the veteran was present for mandatory minicamp. Recent reports indicated that Jones wasn’t “a part of the team’s plans for 2017,” which echoed previous rumors that the team was shopping the 24-year-old. Jones appeared in seven games last season, running for 460 yards and three touchdowns on 99 carries.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

NFC Notes: Redskins, Bears, Lions

June 1st, 2017 at 7:38pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Running back Matt Jones, who’s not in the Redskins’ plans, would like the team to trade or cut him, reports John Keim of ESPN.com. For now, the Redskins have no plans to cut the two-year veteran, according to Keim, though he notes that teams around the NFL ultimately expect that to happen. Although he averaged an impressive 4.6 yards per carry on 99 attempts last season, the fumble-prone Jones is now at the bottom of Washington’s backfield depth chart.

Latest On Redskins RB Matt Jones

May 30th, 2017 at 2:53pm CST by Zachary Links

Running back Matt Jones continues to stay away from the Redskins’ voluntary offseason practices as the second week gets underway. Apparently, that’s not going to change anytime soon. Jones is instead working out in Florida after coaches informed him that he is not a part of the team’s plans for 2017, a source tells Mike Jones of The Washington Post.

This year, the Redskins are expected to lean heavily on Rob Kelley while rookie Samaje Perine gets a decent cut of the carries. In addition to those two, Chris Thompson projects as the pass-catching specialist and Keith Marshall and/or Mack Brown should be able to make the final cut. That leaves Jones without a real role. He had some hype not long ago, but he was a healthy scratch most of last year and he was dangled prior to the draft in April.

Jones is a powerful back, but he has struggled to hold on to the football having fumbled four times as a rookie and twice in 2016. Other teams, we imagine, would have serious interest in claiming him if Washington decides to put him on the waiver wire.

Matt Jones Not In Redskins’ Plans

May 24th, 2017 at 9:24am CST by Zachary Links

After Matt Jones ran for 123 yards in his second NFL game, it seemed like big things were in the running back’s future. Less than two years later, he might be on the outs in D.C. Jones does not appear to be a part of the Redskins’ plans for 2017, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, and he will not take part in the team’s voluntary OTAs.

Jones was a healthy scratch most of last year and the team was said to be shopping him prior to the draft in April. After selecting Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine in the fourth round, the Redskins might not have much of a need for Jones. Washington has Rob Kelley as the projected lead back and Chris Thompson as the pass-catching specialist, so they could round out the RB depth chart with Perine plus Keith Marshall and/or Mack Brown.

It’s not immediately clear whether the Redskins are thinking about cutting Jones outright, but the team and the player have definitely cooled off on each other. If the Redskins can’t find a suitable trade for the 24-year-old, then Jones may become an intriguing waiver wire option for the other 31 teams in the league.

Redskins Shopping RB Matt Jones

April 28th, 2017 at 8:08am CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are shopping running back Matt Jones, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Redskins are likely to add another running back this weekend and that would squeeze Jones out of the picture.

The former third round pick has had flashes of brilliance in the past, but he has not been able to produce consistently. Jones’ struggles with ball security turned him from a rising star to an afterthought and he’s now likely on his way out of D.C. Still, another team might want to kick the tires on Jones based on his potential and inexpensive salary. He’s signed through the 2018 campaign with base salaries under $800K.

Last year, Jones had a pair of 100+ yard games. On October 2, Jones had 22 carries for 117 yards and one touchdown against Cleveland. Then, on October 16, he had 135 yards off of 16 carries and also added a rushing touchdown. The following week, he suffered a knee injury and that opened the door for Robert Kelley to take his starting gig. Even though he returned to full health, he did not see the field for the rest of the season.

Redskins Explored Trading RB Matt Jones

November 20th, 2016 at 2:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins considered trading running back Matt Jones in advance of the NFL’s trade deadline earlier this month, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on NFL Insiders this morning.

While Schefter’s report didn’t include what sort of compensation Washington was targeting, or what clubs may have expressed interest, it’s difficult to imagine that the Redskins could have asked for much in return for Jones. After beginning the season as Washington’s starting running back, Jones has since ceded his job to Robert Kelley and, after overcoming a knee injury, has been a healthy inactive on gameday.

In seven 2016 starts, Jones has averaged 4.6 yards per carry on 99 rushes while scoring three touchdowns, and he’s also ranked well according to advanced metrics such as Football Outsiders‘ DVOA and DYAR. However, Jones has struggled with ball security, having put the ball on the ground three times. He’s signed through the 2018 campaign with base salaries under $800K in each of the next two seasons.

If Jones continues to be a healthy scratch on gamedays — head coach Jay Gruden has said Jones will have to “earn his way back” — the Redskins will rely on Kelley, Chris Thompson, and Mack Brown in the backfield.

Extra Points: Eagles, Bucs, Cowboys, Injuries

October 28th, 2016 at 9:27pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s a lot of talk about receivers the Eagles could acquire, but which players could they look to trade themselves? Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com runs down some candidates, including linebacker Mychal Kendricks. The Eagles are somewhat thin at linebacker, but it seems defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz isn’t that high on Kendricks and other teams would probably use him more than Philly has. Other suggested trade candidates include interior offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski, wide receiver Nelson Agholor, defensive end Connor Barwin, and running back Ryan Mathews.

Will the Buccaneers acquire a veteran wide receiver between now and the trade deadline? Roy Cummings of Florida Football Insiders notes that there is a need there after Louis Murphy‘s latest setback and looks at a handful of candidates around the league. Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery is a game-changing talent, but he’s in his contract year and the Bucs would have to juggle re-signing him while trying to extend Mike Evans this offseason. For that reason, someone like 49ers receiver Torrey Smith might make more sense for Tampa Bay.
The Cowboys had interest in Chase Daniel as a backup quarterback during the offseason, Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram tweets. However, that was before the Eagles made Daniel the league’s highest-paid reserve QB.
Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link) has injury updates on a number of key players. Colts receiver Donte Moncrief will play, but Falcons running back Tevin Coleman won’t. Neither will Redskins rusher Matt Jones, whose teammate, tight end Jordan Reed, is questionable.
Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis admitted that he’s “breaking down,” but he’s not thinking retirement.

Redskins Promote RB Mack Brown

October 28th, 2016 at 8:11am CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins signed running back Mack Brown to their active roster off of their practice squad, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The move is another indication that the team will be without Matt Jones on Sunday. To make room, Washington waived safety Josh Evans.

The fumble-prone Jones has been dealing with a knee injury and was held out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Now, Jones will be on the sidelines as Chris Thompson and Rob Kelley handle the Redskins’ ground attack. Brown, meanwhile, will back both of them up as Washington takes on the Bengals in London.

Brown missed the Redskins’ 53-man cut in each of the last two years. After being yo-yo’d on and off the practice squad last year, Brown landed there again this year. Now, he might actually get his first taste of real NFL action.

Brown led the NFL with 227 rushing yards in the 2016 preseason.

NFC Notes: Washington, 49ers, Bears

March 26th, 2016 at 11:12am CST by Ben Levine

Washington probably isn’t done adding free agents, but coach Jay Gruden hinted that we may not see any official transactions until after the draft.

“I think there’s a lot of reasons for that,” Gruden told Washington reporter Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com. “You don’t want to go crazy signing a bunch of backs and then draft one and have to cut them anyway. So I think we want to find out exactly where we stand after the draft.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC…

Gruden acknowledged that Washington let go of “a heck of a running back” by allowing veteran Alfred Morris to sign elsewhere. As NFL.com’s Kevin Patra writes, the team will now have to rely on second-year running back Matt Jones. “We need him to protect the ball a little bit more,” Gruden said. “He’s a big, strong, powerful back that I think can handle the workload; time will tell on that. We’re taking a bit of a gamble here, but based on our professional opinion, we believe he can handle it and be very, very effective at it, toting the rock.”
With rumors surrounding 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, head coach Chip Kelly was quick to hand out praise to the team’s other signal-caller: Blaine Gabbert. “[I’m] impressed with Blaine,” Kelly said (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). “You watch him the last couple of games he started. He’s another guy, you look at his skill set…He’s big. I’d never really dealt with Blaine because he came into the league before I came into the league, but just how big and physical and impressive he is. He’s a 6-4, 245-pound guy that can really run. I thought the last part of the season he played really well. It’ll be intriguing to work with him, too.”
The Bears could use a young speed rusher off the edge, opines Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune. Lamarr Houston, Willie Young and Pernell McPhee showed an ability to get to the quarterback, but Biggs notes that the trio used their strength to get past the opposition. The writer would prefer the team brings in a quicker lineman.

NFC Notes: Washington, Cowboys, Falcons, Rams

March 25th, 2016 at 8:01pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

With Alfred Morris having agreed to a deal with NFC East rival Dallas earlier this week, Washington is prepared to go forward with Matt Jones as its starting running back.

“That’s what we envision, yes,” said head coach Jay Gruden (link via Tarik El-Bashir of CSN Mid-Atlantic). “We like Matt. We think he’s a smart football player and he runs very, very hard. Now we just have to make sure the ball security is there [because] he can catch the ball out the backfield. He’s a very good solid football player that we have high hopes for.”

In his rookie year last season, Jones – a third-round pick from Florida – averaged just 3.4 yards per carry on 144 attempts (compared to Morris’ 3.7 and 202, respectively) and totaled as many fumbles (four) as touchdowns. Washington is expected to add a complement to Jones in either free agency or the draft, according to Gruden, who said the team is interested in re-signing the still-available Pierre Thomas.

Here’s more from the NFC:

Even with Morris in the fold, the Cowboys have a less-than-ideal running back situation, opines Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPN.com. The Cowboys will try a balanced attack to aid quarterback Tony Romo – who has gone 38-11 as a starter while throwing 30 times or fewer and 41-38 otherwise – but Taylor doesn’t expect a backfield trio of Morris, Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar to fare particularly well. Thus, the team should use a second- or third-rounder on a running back and let the others compete for backup roles behind the rookie, Taylor believes.
The Falcons and free agent linebacker O’Brien Schofield are at “an impasse,” tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Schofield said earlier this month that he and the Falcons weren’t “seeing eye-to-eye on a contract,” and the club may have found a replacement for him Friday when it signed Courtney Upshaw. The Falcons have offered Schofield a deal, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, but the Upshaw signing could seal his fate in Atlanta. Schofield, 28, joined the Falcons last year and then made 30 tackles and two sacks in 16 appearances (11 starts) during the season. Upshaw has the greater track record of the pair, having started 29 more games (51 to 22) in two fewer seasons.
Remarkably, despite being shot in the head twice last November, the door hasn’t yet closed on Stedman Bailey‘s career. The Rams receiver “is currently in the evaluation process, seeking numerous opinions from neurologists and the like,” head coach Jeff Fisher said Wednesday (link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). “Just to see if he can not only play, but continue with a rigorous physical rehab program that will put him in position to play.” Bailey has continued to stay involved with the team, as Thomas writes, with Fisher adding, “He’s been in the building. We’ve seen him. He’s doing well. He seems like the same old Sted, and he’s very lucky as we’ve all noted to be alive.”
Washington is undecided about the future of receiver Andre Roberts, reports John Keim of ESPN.com. Washington stands to save a solid amount if it cuts Roberts ($3MM before June 1, $4MM if he’s given a post-June 1 designation), but the team isn’t allowed to release him right now because he’s recovering from a torn meniscus. Roberts might not be ready until training camp, per Gruden. Even without his health taken into account, Roberts is probably Washington’s No. 4 wideout – which doesn’t seem to bode well for his chances to stay on the roster. The 28-year-old was productive from 2010-14, when he caught a combined 218 passes and 13 touchdowns for Arizona and Washington; he’s coming off a career-worst season, however, having hauled in a mere 11 catches in nine games. He also failed to find the end zone for the first time in his six-year NFL tenure.