When he was signed, the staff believed Jones would be another complimentary piece for Murray and the offense. At 6-foot-2, Jones is a three-position target with the ability to line up inside or outside. The wide receiver wouldn’t give a prediction on how his presence will impact the offense, instead noting he will be prepared for whenever his number is called.
During the suspension, Jones attempted to recreate a training regimen that would allow him to return in shape. It consisted of swimming, biking, running hills, and sprints.
“It’s a lot of time (missed),” coach Jonathan Gannon said. “You’ve got to get your sea legs back a little bit. But we have a really good return to play, and everybody is different.”
Even while he was suspended, Jones was allowed to be in the facility with the team. Gannon said having Jones around ball and in meetings provided the wide receiver with a boost as he began getting acclimated back to the program, even if Jones couldn’t practice (or even watch practice.)
“I’m grateful,” Jones said. “I didn’t know the ins and outs of what was going to be allowed of me, but when I was allowed back in the building and the guys embraced me, to which the extent that they could, trying to follow the rules as best as possible, that was a blessing.”
Over the past seven weeks, while sitting in silence was hard for the wide receiver, it allowed him to take a deeper look into himself and his process. Whether it’s on Monday Night Football against the Chargers or later, Jones’ focus is on helping the team win.
“It’s been hard. It’s been difficult, not only on myself, but the people around me,” Jones said. “So to have that behind me now and to look forward to the positive things that are coming, not only for myself, but for this team, is what I look forward to.”
