Bengals 2016 Free Agent Profile: Marvin Jones

Marvin Jones was drafted by the Bengals in 2012 with the pick acquired when Cincinnati traded Chad Johnson to the New England Patriots. Even though Jones was highly thought of by many, he wasn't selected until the fifth round and he was the second wide receiver (Mohamed Sanu) drafted that year by the Bengals. 2013 was Marvin Jones' breakout year as he caught 10 touchdowns and began to pull away from the timeshare with Sanu as the Bengals' number two wide receiver. Jones missed all of 2014 with an ankle injury and the Bengals and Andy Dalton felt his absence. After a bounce back 2015 campaign, Jones enters free agency as arguably the best wide receiver available.

What he offers: Marvin Jones is a quick-twitched athlete with the ability to stretch defenses with his ball skills and good speed. He has a surprising toughness about him and it shows when he's running after the catch and blocking in the run game. Jones routinely makes impressive catches and seems to play big in moments when the team needs him. He has really developed as a route runner and his release has gone from an area of concern to an area of strength over the past four years. Jones is more than a deep threat, I feel like he can win on most routes and make tough catches also.

Concerns: Jones isn't an automatic hands-catcher; he often looks more comfortable body-catching and when he needs to reach for a pass, it isn't a clean grab. This leads to silly-looking drops and missed opportunities. Injuries have impacted his career so far. He missed time as a rookie with a knee sprain and then missed all of 2014 with a ankle injury. Any team signing Jones to be their top receiver might be concerned with his usage thus far. He has never really played the lead role outside of a few drives that featured him. Jones was the third target behind A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert and often times was sharing time with Sanu.

Jones is a high character, high energy player who has become a reliable member of the Bengals' offense. He's well liked among the fanbase and everybody would love to see him return. I think he has the potential to consistently post numbers in the range of 80 receptions, 1,100 yards and 8 touchdowns if he's a featured starter on another team. With the Bengals, Jones' production is likely capped as somebody who shares the role of being the complementary weapon in this offense. I can see him leaving for more money and more opportunity. His projected deal in free agency should be in the 5 years, $30 million range. His departure would create an immediate draft need for the Cincinnati Bengals.