TAMPA, Fla. — On the one hand, you could say that the Bucs adding Julio Jones to a star-studded receivers room is an embarrassment of riches.
On the other, you could see how this could end in embarrassment.
The 33-year-old Jones has missed seven games in each of his past two seasons with an assortment of injuries. The Titans released Jones in March with a post-June 1 designation to save salary-cap space.
Jones arrived in Tampa Bay early Wednesday morning, just hours before the first training camp workout, which he did not attend. He passed his physical and signed a one-year, $6 million contract that could be worth as much as $8 million with performance bonuses.
Jones hasn’t spent a day in the Bucs offense. He has barely met a few new teammates and coaches.
But the career leader in receiving yards (13,330) among active players knows it’s not just about adding another big name. The whole key is whether Jones still has game.
“You can say, ‘Julio is with the Bucs,’ ” Jones said. “We got Mike Evans. We got Tom Brady. But nobody is going to give us anything.”
Coach Todd Bowles explained the addition of Jones this way: Sure, they have Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage, Breshad Perriman, Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson, Cyril Grayson and Jaelon Darden, to name a few.
But when injuries struck the receivers corps last season — particularly with Godwin sustaining season-ending torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee against the Saints on Dec. 20 ― the Bucs were ill-prepared to fill the void.
Jones certainly knows how to do that.
“You look at last year, we got beat up pretty good in the receivers room and we kind of limped to the finish line again,” Bowles said. “If you wait until midseason, you’re not going to get a good football player. You’re going to be grabbing guys ... We’re going to do the smart thing and try to get some depth now so we don’t have to stumble or hit a rock on the way trying to win some ballgames. We’ve got people who can step in who know how to play.”
Jones has no physical limitations and that is the key. Godwin wasn’t placed on the physically unable to perform list but he may not be ready for the season opener at Dallas on Sept. 11.
If Jones can fill the No. 3 or No. 4 spot depending on which receivers are available, adding another target in the red zone for Brady, his signing may be as significant as the Bucs’ addition of Antonio Brown in 2020 when he helped them win Super Bowl 55. The Bucs also lost 55 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns with the retirement of Rob Gronkowski.
“We’ve got to replace Gronk’s catches,” Bowles said. ”We’ve got an extra weapon, especially in the red zone and out in the field and we’re going to put him to use. It gives us a chance to be more creative in some of the things that we do and we’re happy to have him.”
Bucs receivers reacted to the news of Jones’ arrival positively, even though they know their chances of earning a roster spot just got harder.
“We’ve got probably the best receivers room in NFL history,” Miller said. “Last year, we had some really good guys, too, so it’s pretty cool to be around greatness. And now you’ve got to find a way to get a roster spot and earn your way and you’ve got to love the competitiveness. I think we’ve got 12 receivers on the roster right now and everybody’s legit.”
Gage and Jones were Falcons teammates and learned from Bowles they would be reunited.
“Coach came and talked to me and said, ‘Man, what do you think about Julio?’ ” Gage said. “That’s my boy, so I’m like … ‘It’s self-explanatory. He’s a great player.’ … And he was like, ‘Well, we’re about to get him.’ And I was ... ecstatic.”
Jones said he is injury free. “I’m 100 percent healthy. I don’t have any issues lingering or holding me back or anything like that.”
He was coy about his recruitment to the Bucs except to acknowledge that he had a couple conversations with Brady.
“We were just communicating, feeling each other out,” Jones said. “It was probably a tactic. But I don’t know. I’m here.”
It’s ironic that the only thing missing from Jones’ NFL resume is a Super Bowl ring and Brady took that from him. It happened when the Patriots overcame a 28-3 deficit to the Falcons to win Super Bowl 51. He acknowledges that’s why he signed with the Bucs.
“Absolutely, for me, it’s not a money play; it’s none of that,” Jones said. “It’s for me to come out here and knowing my value and knowing what I have to offer, right? And like I said, the Buccaneer organization is giving me the opportunity to showcase my skills and to be a part of something, to be a part of this team. Like I said, they’ve got everything that they need already.”
Bowles described Jones as a “luxury.”
“If we can get him on the same page, you don’t have to spell anybody,” Bowles said. “(Evans) and (Godwin) can come out and (Gage) or (Jones) will go in or we’ll have three wide or four wide or whatever we do over there; it’s an added luxury and we still have young guys that can still play.”
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Tampa Bay Times staff writers Greg McKenna and Andrew Crane contributed to this report.
