The Detroit Lions are entering a rebuild in 2021, and it’s not exactly the time when you want your top two wide receivers hitting the open market. Both Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay are free agents this offseason, and the Lions having already traded away quarterback Matthew Stafford makes it seem even more unlikely one or both wideouts will be back next season. They would probably want to join a contender to chase a ring or get paid. Jones actually said recently that he wants to do both.
On Thursday, Jones spoke with SiriusXM NFL Radio about his upcoming free agency, and he said that chasing a Super Bowl is definitely an important goal of his in 2021, but he also wants to get paid.
“At this point in my career, that’s what I want,” Jones said, via the Detroit Free Press, about winning a Super Bowl. “That is what I want, but at the same time, it’s not going to be — I’m not going to just straight sacrifice and not get what I’m worth just because I’ve put in my work to get where I’m at and it happened the first time and I did it, and I think I outplayed it the second time.”
Jones, who turns 31 next month, caught a career-high 76 passes for 978 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020. His time with the Lions has been impressive, as he has recorded nine receiving touchdowns in three out of five seasons in Detroit. Jones played in all 16 games for the first time in three years last season, and showed no signs of slowing down.
“I think there’s variables, obviously,” Jones said. “I know if there’s certain teams that come knocking on my door, we’ll get something to work for both sides. But at the same time I am 31, I am going on my 10th season, but I’m still running past people and I’m doing the things that I’ve always done. So I have no signs of slowing down at all. And I think what I get will reflect that.”
One prospective landing spot for Jones could be a reunion with Stafford in Los Angeles with the Rams. Sean McVay would probably love to add another deep threat to his arsenal, but the Rams currently have the third-worst cap situation in the league, according to Over The Cap. If we are looking at teams with plenty of cap space who also have title hopes, maybe we should keep an eye on a possible marriage between Jones and the Indianapolis Colts. T.Y. Hilton is a free agent and the Colts could be in the market for a new No. 1 wideout. There are obviously some questions about Carson Wentz’s talent, but Indy has a great roster that’s ready to compete now. Another team interested in Jones could be the Baltimore Ravens, who had a wide receiving corps that struggled with drops in 2020. Jones would help Lamar Jackson and his passing attack improve immediately, which could help them take another step forward in the pursuit of a Super Bowl.
