Zay Jones inked a one-year contract potentially valued at $4.25 million with the Arizona Cardinals, as reported by Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz on May 10, just a day following his meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Sources: Former #Jaguars WR Zay Jones is signing with the #Cardinals on a 1-year deal worth up to $4.25M.
A new weapon for Kyler Murray. pic.twitter.com/Yn1bgei9GE
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 10, 2024
Following his meeting with the reigning Super Bowl champions on May 9, Zay Jones reportedly garnered “mutual interest” from both sides, as revealed by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. However, it was the Arizona Cardinals who ultimately sealed the deal, tipping the scales in their favor.
Zay Jones a Decorated Collegiate Athlete With a Rocky NFL Career
Zay Jones, aged 29, showcased his talent during his college years at East Carolina, where he became the all-time receptions leader in FBS history, totaling an impressive 399 catches. His skills earned him a second-round selection, 37th overall, by the Buffalo Bills in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Standing tall at 6-foot-2 and weighing 200 pounds, Jones spent two seasons with the Bills before transitioning to the then-Oakland Raiders in October 2019, traded in exchange for a 2021 fifth-round pick. He remained with the Raiders until the conclusion of the 2021 season.
In 2022, Jones ventured into free agency for the first time, securing a lucrative three-year, $24 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
During the 2022 NFL season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Zay Jones reached the pinnacle of his career, recording personal bests in targets (121), catches (82), and receiving yards (823), as documented by Pro Football Reference.
However, his momentum was hindered by knee and hamstring injuries in the subsequent 2023 season, sidelining him for eight regular-season games. Despite this setback, in the nine games he played, Jones managed 34 receptions on 64 targets, accumulating 321 yards and scoring 2 touchdowns.
The Jaguars made a significant move on April 30, releasing Jones from the team’s roster, just five days following the selection of LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. with the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. This decision, according to Spotrac, provided the Jaguars with a cap relief of $4.1 million.
Chiefs Still Need a Bit of Physicality Along the Boundary
Despite drafting Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy with the 28th overall pick in April’s Draft, the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, are still in pursuit of additional receiver talent, particularly for the boundary position. This is where the interest in signing Zay Jones stems from.
While the Chiefs have bolstered their offensive speed with the likes of Worthy and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown during free agency, they recognize a need for more size in their receiver corps.
With third-year wideout Justyn Ross standing at 6-foot-4, he’s currently the only receiver on the Kansas City Chiefs’ roster taller than Zay Jones. However, Ross has yet to establish himself in a significant offensive role, leaving his size untapped thus far.
Jones, while versatile enough to play in the slot, excels primarily as a boundary receiver, particularly in contested catch scenarios. Given this skill set, it’s understandable why the Chiefs brought him in for a visit, aiming to bolster their receiving corps and add a reliable target for such situations.
Twitter/X Reacts to Chiefs Losing Out on Zay Jones
Users on X, formerly Twitter, had mixed reactions to Zay Jones choosing the Arizona Cardinals over the Kansas City Chiefs.
One user expressed the sentiment that the Chiefs are already well-stocked at the receiver position, considering their existing talent such as Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Xavier Worthy, Kadarius Toney, and star tight end Travis Kelce. They viewed any additional receiver signings as a luxury rather than a necessity.
On the other hand, another user seemed perplexed by Jones’s decision, implying that the Cardinals may not be as strong contenders for a Super Bowl victory compared to the Chiefs. They found irony in players claiming they want to join a winning team but then signing with a team with lesser prospects.
