Former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Lions reunite with former leading receiver on one-year deal

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Darryn Albert | Last updated 3/29/23

The Detroit Lions are kicking it all the way back to the Jim Caldwell era.

Veteran wide receiver Marvin Jones announced in a post to social media on Tuesday that he is returning to the Lions, his former team.

BACK & IM STILL BUZZIN!!! BZN “#”?? pic.twitter.com/eoqw2cMmQ7

— Marvin Jones Jr (@MarvinJonesJr) March 29, 2023

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that the deal is for one year and $3M (with incentives that could push it up to $5M in total value).

Veteran WR Marvin Jones Jr headed back to the #Lions, where he played from 2016-20. Source says it’s a one-year deal with a $3 million base value with incentives that can push it to $5 million. https://t.co/jeiQsVFIPV

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 29, 2023

Jones, 33, played for the Lions from 2016-20 and led the team in receiving twice. He did it once in 2017 (his best career season with 1,101 receiving yards and nine touchdowns) and again in 2020 (with 978 receiving yards and nine touchdowns).

Jones was in Detroit for both the Caldwell and Matt Patricia eras. He then left in free agency and spent the last two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars (posting 529 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2022).

The Lions mostly struggled in the receiving department last season. Other than Pro Bowler Amon-Ra St. Brown, no receiver caught more than 50 passes on the year.

The reunion with Jones gives Detroit a big, physical target with a nose for the end zone (adding to the Lions’ offseason of prominent free agent additions).

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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