The Dallas Cowboys are hosting former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones on a free-agent visit, according to a report from Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.
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Jones, 29, was released by the Jaguars after Jacksonville selected former LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Originally selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Jones has pulled down 287 receptions for 3,028 yards and 18 touchdowns through the first seven seasons of his career.
Jones has drawn interest from several teams in recent weeks, visiting the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans. Tennessee signed former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd on May 7.
Spending the past two seasons in Jacksonville, Jones was one of quarterback Trevor Lawrence‘s favorite targets. According to Pro Football Focus, Lawrence posted a 66.7 passer rating when targeting Jones, who only dropped one pass all season.
During his time in Jacksonville, Jones posted 116 catches for 1,144 yards and seven touchdowns.
How Zay Jones Would Fit the Dallas Cowboys
Free agent WR Zay Jones is visiting the Arizona Cardinals today, per @Schultz_Report. pic.twitter.com/zyyOdmKR3b
— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) May 7, 2024
The Cowboys’ receiver room is in a bit of a transition phase behind CeeDee Lamb this offseason.
Dallas released Michael Gallup, to create upwards of $9.5 million in cap space, and did not choose a wide receiver during this year’s draft until plucking Southeast Missouri State’s Ryan Flournoy in the sixth round.
Meanwhile, Lamb has skipped the Cowboys’ voluntary offseason program as contract negotiations have stalled, with the star receiver set to play out the 2024 season on his rookie deal’s fifth-year option should the two sides fail to reach an agreement on a long-term extension.
If the Cowboys sign Jones, he’d likely push Jalen Tolbert for playing time as the No. 3 receiver behind Lamb and Brandin Cooks.
Last season, Tolbert caught 22 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns in his second NFL season.
Inside Ryan Flournoy’s Potential
The Cowboys are hoping to have mined a diamond in the rough with the selection of Flournoy on the final day of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Last season, Flournoy caught 57 passes for 839 yards and six touchdowns for the Redhawks, finishing the 2023 campaign with 914 all-purpose yards.
“Flournoy offers solid production,” Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema writes. “Averaging 2.67 yards per route run over the past two seasons. His best attribute is his hands, as he dropped just 3.2% of the catchable passes thrown his way since 2022.”
In addition to whatever his role winds up being as a rookie offensively, Flournoy can also contribute on special teams, where he logged 26 return yards last season.
NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein suggests Flournoy is a bit of a project, as most Day 3 draft picks tend to be.
“Flournoy offers size and football character,” Zierlein writes. “That is pro-caliber but has areas where he must improve. Against off-man, Flournoy utilizes his size and ball skills to stack catches. Against press, however, he can be tardy off the release and becomes reliant on physicality over route acumen to create throwing windows for his quarterback. The route running is undisciplined but can be sharpened with work.”
Flournoy will likely be in the mix fighting for a sixth-receiver job but could vault up the Cowboys’ depth chart with a strong showing this spring and during training camp later this summer.
