Although Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane had initially stated no intentions of making significant moves in free agency, the sudden release of wide receiver Zay Jones by the Jacksonville Jaguars might prompt a reunion at a discounted rate. The Jaguars let go of Jones just five days after drafting Brian Thomas Jr., despite Jones having one year left on his three-year, $24 million contract. This move freed up $4.18 million in cap space for Jacksonville, although they incurred $6.56 million in dead money.
There’s speculation from USA Today’s Nick Wojton that Jones could find his way back to Buffalo due to his previous ties with the team. The Bills only drafted one receiver, Keon Coleman, in the 2024 NFL draft, making Jones a potential addition to their receiving corps. Buffalo originally selected Jones in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft, but he struggled to make an impact in his rookie year and faced off-field issues, including an arrest following a hotel incident.
However, Jones found success after Josh Allen became the Bills’ quarterback. In the 2018 season, he posted solid numbers with 56 receptions for 652 yards and 7 touchdowns. Eventually, Buffalo traded Jones to the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders in October 2019 for a 2021 fifth-round pick, and he later ended up in Jacksonville.
Despite missing eight games last season due to knee and hamstring injuries, Jones managed to tally 116 receptions for 1,144 yards and 7 touchdowns over the past two seasons. It’s worth noting that he was also arrested on a domestic violence charge, which was subsequently dropped.
