Zay Jones rounds out revamped Arizona Cardinals wide receivers room
May 10, 2024, 6:00 PM | Updated: 8:00 pm
TEMPE — It’s wild what an offseason can do.
The Arizona Cardinals entered their downtime at a deficit when it came to the wide receivers room.
Even before Hollywood Brown (free agency) and Rondale Moore (trade) headed elsewhere, a revamp was greatly needed.
The first — and biggest — phase of that thinking came to fruition during the 2024 NFL Draft, with general manager Monti Ossenfort sticking and picking generational talent Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 4 overall.
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The room behind Harrison, second-year pro Michael Wilson and slot man Greg Dortch still had question marks and depth concerns, though.
It just felt like another veteran option who has proven his effectiveness along the outside was still a major need for what this offense wants to accomplish in Year 2 under Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon.
But after agreeing to terms with free-agent wide receiver Zay Jones on Friday, that need now appears filled.
Playing primarily on the outside during his time with the Buffalo Bills (2017-2019), Las Vegas Raiders (2019-21) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2022-23), the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Jones has amassed 287 catches for 3,028 yards and 18 touchdowns across seven seasons of work (104 games played).
When the targets were there, so was the production. In the two seasons (2018 in Buffalo and 2022 in Jacksonville) he saw at least 100 targets come his way, Jones racked up at least 56 catches, 652 yards and five touchdowns.
He’s not that far removed from his career best as a pro, either.
Starting in 15 of 16 games played, Jones recorded 82 receptions on 121 targets for 823 yards and five scores in his first season with Jacksonville in 2022.
On top of his production, Jones brings with him valuable availability, having played in at least 15 games in all but one season (2023). As we’ve seen this offseason, that is a major plus in Gannon’s and Ossenfort’s book.
There’s obviously still a ways to go before the pads come on and competitions to be had, but at least for now, Arizona’s wide receiving woes look to be behind them.
