Marvin Jones is heading into a huge season with the Detroit Lions, but could the team pull the plug in spite of these positive vibes?
It’s a possibility according to Pro Football Focus. Recently, Andrew Erickson put together a list of trade candidates for 2020, and Jones was the name on the list for the team. The reason? His contract, but also the fact that the Lions have some depth at wide receiver to rely on and plenty of capable pass catchers heading into this coming season.
Erickson wrote:
“Jones was another receiver rumored to be a trade target during the 2020 NFL Draft, but nothing ended up transpiring. That should not come as a surprise based on the events of the offseason, but that doesn’t mean the Lions won’t entertain the idea of moving the veteran receiver.
Jones is not likely to be re-signed with the Lions needing to lock up Kenny Golladay long-term. Not to mention, Jones has missed 10 games over the past two seasons. The Lions also added Geronimo Allison on a cheap one-year deal and drafted Quintez Cephus in the fifth round. Cephus is a speculative dynasty add after showing impressive ball skills at Wisconsin; he fell in the draft due to a lackluster athletic profile.
The real winner of a Jones trade would be T.J. Hockenson. He already has plenty of breakout potential heading into the season, but if a large portion of the offense opens up, that would vault Hockenson up the tight end rankings as the no-doubt No. 2 passing option behind Golladay.”
Golladay will get tons of attention, but Jones has been just as good for the Lions the last few seasons and has been a bright spot. Detroit would almost certainly have to be out of the race to entertain the thought of dealing him, but if they did, it would take away a huge component of the offense and a guy who can make a ton of plays for a potent offense.
Lions Wideouts Named Top NFL Group
Between Jones and Golladay, the Lions could have one of the best duos in the entire NFL according to Pro Football Focus. The site projected the pair to be the No. 2 group in the NFL this coming season in terms of combined receiving yards between the duo.
Dynamic duos 😎
Both Golladay and Jones had excellent seasons in 2019, and with the healthy return of Matthew Stafford, the duo could be even more dynamic with a healthy quarterback to throw them the football. That could be just what the site is projecting moving forward.
If the team has one of the best wideout groups in the league, the sky could truly be the limit for their offense given expected improvements to their ground game and offensive line.
PFF Rates Lions Wideouts High for 2020 NFL Season
Recently, Pro Football Focus put together a list of the top wideout groups in the NFL 1-32. Detroit’s group, which is led by Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, ended up placing No. 6 on the list, safely within the top 10 in the league.
Writer Ben Linsey likes what he sees from the group, as he wrote in the piece:
“The duo of Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. may be underrated around the league, but both guys can win in a number of ways, and they excel in contested-catch situations. Golladay ranks fifth in contested catches since 2017 (49) while Jones ranks eighth (42), and both have top-10 contested-catch rates among qualifiers. Danny Amendola remains a solid option in the slot at 34 years old after earning a 71.5 overall grade in 2019, and there’s reason to believe T.J. Hockenson will take a step forward as a receiver in his second season given how effective he was at Iowa. The addition of the best receiving running back in the class — D’Andre Swift — only bolsters the group.”
The Lions have players not only at wideout but other spots ready and willing to jump into the mix and help. That’s the mark of a solid team that has some excellent depth, and is a major reason the Lions might have one of the best groups in the entire league.
It’s safe to say the site is very bullish on what the team can do in 2020.
Marvin Jones Dominant for Lions in 2019
Seeing Jones exit with injury late in the 2019 season was tough. Jones was fantastic this past season for the Lions, and opposite Kenny Golladay, has been one of the top wideouts in the entire game. Last season, he’s put up 779 yards and 9 touchdowns, which are solid numbers for Detroit. More than that, he has given the Lions a formidable 1-2 punch with Golladay and has been very dependable.
Jones had to prove he could come back off last season’s knee injury which cost him the end of the 2018 season, and he was able to do that with a massive season thus far in 2019. It’s safe to say Jones will continue to put in the good work for the Lions and as a result, should be earning himself love.
If the Lions ended up dealing Jones, it would be a big admission of where their season would be heading. He’s that important to the offense.
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Lions Wideout Named Top Trade Candidate For 2020