The battle to be the final wide receiver on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 53-man roster has been tight with Tim Jones, Jacob Harris, Elijah Cooks, Seth Williams, and Kevin Austin Jr. all fighting for (presumably) one spot.
On Saturday night, Jones punctuated his case by torching the Miami Dolphins secondary for a 74-yard touchdown.
Don’t reach, young’n!@Timnjones5 #MIAvsJAX on CBS pic.twitter.com/oRfctKusHk
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 27, 2023
Jones, 25, spent most of his rookie year in 2021 on the Jaguars’ practice squad and earned a place on the 53-man roster last season. That experience in the system has made him a favorite to be on the roster again in 2023, and he’s made more than just one play to show he deserves the spot.
While the soft-spoken Jones only said a few words after the game about the blocking and special teams he can bring to the Jaguars, it was his teammate Christian Kirk who really went to bat for the third-year receiver.
“He means a lot to our room,” Kirk told 1010XL’s Mia O’Brien on Saturday night. “Just his approach, his mentality. Definitely a quieter, more laidback guy, but just a guy who does things the right way. A guy you can trust.
“Sometimes he comes in on third- or fourth-and-short and, when the whole defense knows they’re running the ball, he’s got to go make the most important block on the field. It’s definitely an important role for us and being able to play special teams too and, just honestly, make the plays when your number is called. He’s definitely a great guy for it.”
Jones caught three passes for 30 yards during the 2022 season and was on the field for 145 offensive snaps and 152 special teams snaps.
The Jaguars have to cut their roster down from 90 players to 53 players before 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
