Cincinnati Bengals Player Preview: Marvin Jones

We already know Marvin Jones will be nursing a surgically repaired foot for the first quarter of the 2014 season, and it's true that only the remarkable depth at wide receiver will save the Bengals in that time. That statement speaks to the talent the Bengals have on the roster, but it also says volumes about what Marvin Jones brings to this Cincinnati team.

Last year, Jones had a breakout season, with 712 yards on 51 receptions, to go along with 10 touchdowns. Those head-turning statistics are only for the 24-year-old's second year in the NFL. And it's also only with the young star having started three games last year.

His single standout game came against a solid Jets defense in which Dalton found Jones in the end zone for four scores to go on top of eight receptions and 122 yards receiving. From there, he was a much more consistent producer on the field, and his statistics all noticeably jumped.

In a very young receiver core that is led by proven star A.J. Green, it may be that we're missing the budding stars around the top talent for the Bengals. While Green was constantly drawing double-coverage and safety shadowing, it opened up a lot more room for other receivers to literally catch their way to making themselves more known on the Bengals roster.

And, that being said, Jones was the most ready to step up to the call. His statistics speak for themselves, and so does his now-proven talent. The Bengals will miss him in his absence during the first part of the season, but when they get him back to 100 percent, the team can rest assured that he'll bring a huge boost of momentum to the receiver core and likely to Dalton's confidence on the field.

He can only get better with time.