Marvin Jones Jr. is heading back to a familiar spot. The veteran wide receiver announced on Wednesday that he is returning to the Detroit Lions. Specifically, Jones has inked a one-year deal with the team that has a base value of $3 million but also includes incentives that can push it to $5 million, according to NFL Media.
Jones played five seasons for the Lions starting in 2016 after signing a five-year, $40 million contract with the team in free agency that offseason. He initially entered the league as a fifth-round draft choice of the Bengals in 2012 out of Cal. With Detroit, he lasted through the entirety of his contract into 2020 and then opted to depart in the spring of 2021, agreeing to a two-year deal to join the Jaguars where he's been playing since.
BACK & IM STILL BUZZIN!!! BZN “#”?? pic.twitter.com/eoqw2cMmQ7
— Marvin Jones Jr (@MarvinJonesJr) March 29, 2023
The 33-year-old's best seasons came as a member of the Lions, including his career year in 2017 where he notched a career-best 1,101 receiving yards. Over his tenure in Detroit, Jones hauled in 289 receptions for 4,296 yards and 36 touchdowns. Those receiving-yard totals have him ranked ninth all time in franchise history while his touchdowns rank third, only looking up to Calvin Johnson and Herman Moore.
Even as he's in the twilight of his career, Jones has proven he can still be a valuable piece within an offense. In 16 games for the Jaguars last season, he caught 46 passes for 529 yards and three touchdowns. The year before that, he had 832 yards receiving, which is the fourth-highest of his career thus far.
Now, he joins a Lions pass-catching unit that consists of Jameson Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds.
