Lions fans, it is time to rejoice. One of the Lions all-time fan favorites has finally been returned to his franchise. When Marvin Jones Jr. left Detroit, he had one of his best career seasons. Jones Jr. ended the 2020 season with 978 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns. In his time in Detroit he gained a very credible, and respectable, reputation amongst all Detroit fans. He wasn’t a diva when he left, and he wasn’t a diva at all when in the locker room. There have been multiple teammates to attest to his great locker room presence, something I think the Lions are in a desperate need for right now.
When looking at the pros of signing Marvin Jones Jr. you can honestly mention a lot if you know anything about the guy. He is a very consistent player, he stays healthy, puts up solid production year after year, and he is a very positive player. A lot of that positivity, I have to assume, has to come from the crazy influxes of seasons he has gone through. When he arrived in Detroit, Jones Jr. was coming off a playoff year with the 12-4 Bengals. He joined an, at best, average Lions team. In his time there, the Lions slowly depreciated in production. Although they weren’t a super great team in his time, Marvin Jones Jr. still kept a very chin up attitude and still remained optimistic. I think that kind of positivity is exactly what this young Lions team needs right now going into this 2023-2024 season.
However, the negatives obviously lurk within this signing, but there aren’t many. One of the main concerns of this signing is, of course, Marvin Jones’ age. At 33 years of age to any young NFL team, that is a red flag. Yes the leadership is there, but is the talent still there. You have to ask the question of how his production will be with 2 very young, and highly thought of receivers already in the receiver’s room. Luckily the contract is only worth $3 million, but still that question definitely remains on whether or not he will actually have a big impact on their games.
In the end, while this signing is definitely one that pleases the fans, you really need to ask if he will actually produce for them. In my personal opinion, I think he will have a very intermediate role in the offense. He will not be nearly as utilized as he was in Jacksonville, I can tell you that. However, can he possibly be the denier of all odds and stand up to the narrative that older receivers aren’t as effective? I guess we will have to see this upcoming season.
