While the addition of Urban Meyer was the biggest acquisition for the Jacksonville Jaguars tis offseason, his decision to add Darrell Bevell to the staff was one fans loved, too. Bevell is one of the NFL’s most respected offensive minds, and it’s showing even before he’s started coaching the players on the roster.
During the first week of free agency, the Jags signed two of Bevell’s former receivers from the Detroit Lions in Jamal Agnew and Marvin Jones Jr. Both had nothing but kind words to say about their former interim head coach and offensive coordinator, and Jones even went as far as saying the offense was “fun” to him on multiple occasions.
“I think just the camaraderie that we have with each other and just the leader that he is,” said Jones when asked what helps him the most in Bevell’s scheme. “Obviously, his offense kind of speaks for itself with the success that he’s had since he’s been in the league, and it’s just a fun offense. It’s a fun offense where I can go inside, go outside, do a lot of the things that I didn’t do before having his offense. So, it’s a lot of stuff that you can do, and I think it fits perfect for me.”
In addition to his familiarity with the offense and the abilities he brings to the table, Jones will be the most experienced receiver on the Jags’ roster with nine seasons under his belt. That said, he’ll be instantly thrust into a leadership role for the receivers as the Jags’ two biggest ascending stars in the passing game, D.J. Chark and Laviska Shenault Jr., aren’t even 25 yet.
“It feels good obviously because I’m still here and I’m still playing at the top of my game,” said Jones when speaking on being the most experienced receiver. “I just met everybody, met the young receivers and they didn’t know I was 31. They were like, ‘Man, you look like us.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah. I’ll show you the way. I’ll show you how to get there.’ I’m here, I’m here to be that mentor and for them to follow me. I love that and I love that type of pressure. So yeah, it feels good.”
There aren’t many receivers out there who would be better for Chark and Shenault to learn from than Jones, who is coming off a tenure where he went under the radar while accumulating 286 receptions for 4,296 yards, and 36 receptions with the Lions. Now, it will be a matter of the trio putting in the work and getting in sync with probable No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence before the regular season. If all of those things happen, Jags fans can expect an improved passing game, with Jones being a key reason behind it.