The Jacksonville Jaguars have given receiver Matt Jones plenty of chances to live up to the hype that made the converted quarterback a first-round draft pick nearly four years ago.
Apparently, drinking beer while golfing was the last straw.
According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Jaguars have released Jones, two days after he was released from jail.
Jones was jailed for five days after testing positive for alcohol as part of the diversion program that allowed him to avoid felony cocaine possession charges.
It’s fitting that Mort would report what could be the final bit of news regarding Jones’ NFL career, given that Mortensen gushed in March 2005 regarding the player’s potential.
Said Mortensen at the time: “Matt Jones won’t be among the top 10 players selected in the April 23-24 draft, but I will venture to say that he’ll play in more Pro Bowls than almost any of those guys. And I will laugh, knowing I told you so.”
For the record, Jones has played in, um, zero Pro Bowls.
JAGUARS RELEASE MATT JONES
Posted by Mike Florio on March 16, 2009, 10:49 AM EDT
57 Responses to “JAGUARS RELEASE MATT JONES”
He deserves a mulligan for this one because from what i hear thats the only reason to play golf is to drink since its not really a sport….
But he still had/has the talent for Mort to make that prediction. He’s supremely gifted athletically… he just hasn’t put it together off the field.
“For the record, Jones has played in, um, zero Pro Bowls.”
the same number as 8 of the top 10 picks that year.
he could have been to a lot more pro bowls in a different system i think…. minus the cocaine habit… lol
This has more to do with how pathetic the Jags passing game is/was last year – but Matt Jones was definitely their best wideout last year – he truly did raise his game and was almost unstoppable on quick slants. That being said – is he also a non – hustling idiot? YES
I think he is worth 1 more shot in the NFL however.
thanks for the scoop.
now, please tell us how many probowls the top 10 players selected have played in.
Here’s the list if you need it.
Man, they were a bunch of winners!
2005 NFL Draft Order – 1st Round
Rounds: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
PICK TEAM PLAYER
1 San Francisco Alex Smith – QB
2 Miami Ronnie Brown – RB
3 Cleveland Braylon Edwards – WR
4 Chicago Cedric Benson – RB
5 Tampa Bay Carnell Williams – RB
6 Tennessee Adam Jones
7 Minnesota Troy Williamson – WR
8 Arizona Antrel Rolle
9 Washington Carlos Rogers
10 Detroit Mike Williams – WR
“Apparently, drinking beer while golfing was the last straw.”
How about violation of his probation? It is a more correct statement.
Unless he learns to play special teams, I don’t think we will be seeing Matty in any Pro Bowls…
I would be interested in seeing what he could do in the right system; provided that the imbecile can get his stuff together.
he should have been blasting lines of cocain off of the bodies of naked hookers on the golf course for all of the trouble this has caused him. shoot, he should have had a pistol in his pants too.
looking at your mocks, you shouldn’t talk …
Welcome to Dallas Matt
Is this another James “Shack” Harris guy?
Mortensen also is reporting that Jones won’t face federal charges on dogfighting.
Aside from Antrel Rolle throwing perhaps the biggest block in SB XLIII, which unfortunately for the Cards was on Larry Fitzgerald, this group hasn’t done much to talk about.
What a group! Only Williamson and Williams were eye-poppingingly idiot picks at the time. Now they all seem to be, save Cadillac’s out-of-the-shoot performances and Braylon’s and Brown’s flashes.
Wow, what shitty top 10. Ronnie Brown’s been stepping up, but Braylon Edwards defintely took a few steps back. Injuries sabotaged Cadillac, scrip clubs did PacMan in, everyone else is below average at best. Hard to believe there were no OL or DL taken in the top 10 that year.
I doubt this will mark the end of his career. Players far less talented have come back from worse legally.
Jones should become a Raider. Al could be intrigued by his athleticism and they could use a WR.
If they got Jones I wonder if it would have any effect of Al wanting Crabtree as much as the mock drafts make him out to.
Good luck Jones… you were fun to watch… kick the habit!
Is he a Cowboy yet?
Great, they better get on the horn with Holt and the Cardinals NOW.
Philly should pick him up, they have a knack for underachieving at the receiver position.
Good info, Patch. What a bunch of loads…
That has to be the worst top 10 ever. No stars, and only Ronnie Brown and Braylon Edwards have been decent. Rolle is better since being moved to safety, but was a flop at cornerback. Cadillac looked like a good player but injuries have derailed his career. Benson might turn out decent, but he was a flop for the Bears.
Chris Mortensen…
…God, I hate that bitch.
That smug and sanctimonious way he has of closing his eyes, raising his eyebrows, and pressing his lips into that dismissive smile.
If he ever shows up at my door — I’m slappin’ him silly..
UGGGHHHH. Ronnie Brown is the best player. Holy Sh#t. Other than him, the 2008 Fantasy Football Terminator is the only guy who isn’t a complete disgrace.
Yah in all honesty I think most of us would have alcohol and cocaine habits if we were wide receivers in jacksonvilles offense. What a joke. For Christs sake David Garrard is the QB. AND DON’T ANY OF YOU JAGUAR HONKS TRY TO DEFEND GARRARD. He’s trash.
he went to the University of Arkansas. Jerry will give him a look.
If the likes of Pacman can receive mutiple do-overs, then so should Matt Jones. At least one more.
So Ronnie Brown and Braylon Edwards are the only Pro Bowl players picked in the Top 10. Mort wasn’t wrong about how bad most of those Top 10 picks were — only about how good Matt Jones would be.
jones was a qb in college.
shack made him play wideout. and made some guys who really could lead or play qb without a great ol stay at qb.
maybe now you know why he drinks.
the lions wont trade for cutler (even tho he is a headache and they probly shouldnt). they have a shack and a black qb.
Morty has been falling off the wagon lately himself as far as his news coverage goes (Clayton is the man). Morty should head south and help Jones pack the moving van. Maybe they can stop and have a beer in between attempts to get the damn couch through the front doorway.
Another workout wonder. Million-dollar body beneath a ten-cent head.
Yay, combine!
Probably one of the biggest gaffes in Mortensen’s career. I think with his son going to Arkansas, that influenced him quite a bit with his comments. The laugh comment seemed a bit unprofessional. Who is exactly would he be laughing at? I guess the people who passed over Jones have had the last laugh.
Glad to see Ronnie Brown was the best out of the top 10 in that draft!
Matt Jones is among the Top 20 worst first-round picks of All-Time.
Thoughts?
Cowboys cut T.O…………….
Matt Jones likes cocaine, strippers and has a habit of getting arrested……….
Dallas anyone?……………
That sound you hear is the Bucs furiously dialing Jones’ number…
Ease up on Morty, his manlove for Matt Jones had some to do with his kid being at Arkansas, so Morty saw an innordinate amount of Jones as a Hog.
@final four line
He’s not that terrible. Just look at this list:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/69562/20_biggest_nfl_draft_busts_of_alltime_pg2.html?cat=14
I don’t like stuff that sucks. This qualifies. Robble Robble.
Matt Jones is the perfect example of a guy that made his stock rise because he “blowed” up the combine with freakish numbers but sucks on the field.
Out with one jones on to the next!
i would love for this kid to come to cleveland, alot of off trouble sure, but great hands on the field! COME TO CLEVELAND MATT WE NEED A 3RD WR, and depending on mr bentley, donte stallworth, we might need 2nd wr also!
If the jags win 6 next year i will be very impressed.
The draft looks bad all the way down to 21 where Jones was talen. Only Merriman at 12 is a bona fide superstar. Maybe 5-6 decent players in the whole freakin’ round!
DCIrish says:
March 16th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Philly should pick him up, they have a knack for underachieving at the receiver position.
****
Maybe, but the Eagles do not employ clowns like this. You could say TO but TO is good.
He’ll be back on a team in no time at all. He had the best season of his career last year. And he didn’t get anything added to his sentence so its no big deal in the eyes of the law. Hopefully the Bucs will take a flier on this guy. The Bucs took a flier on Antonio Bryant and look at how well that worked out.
Mickey…Mort wasn’t far from being correct. None of the 2005 drafted WR have made a pro-bowl. Even Braylon the #3 pick hasn’t made one. Just because you don’t like Mort, does it mean you have to take pot shots at him every chance you get?
Hey Ralph Grenader
NFL Passing Leaders 2008
20 D. Garrard QB, JAC 81.7
21 B. Favre QB, NYJ 81.0
22 Joe Flacco QB, BAL 80.3
23 K. Collins QB, TEN 80.2
24 B. Roethlisberger QB, PIT 80.1
25 Kyle Orton QB, CHI 79.6
26 J. Russell QB, OAK 77.1
27 T. Thigpen QB, KAN 76.0
28 G. Frerotte QB, MIN 73.7
29 D. Orlovsky QB, DET 72.6
30 M. Bulger QB, STL 71.4
31 R. Fitzpatrick QB, CIN 70.0
32 D. Anderson QB, CLE 66.5
If Garrards a joke, so is everyone under him……..Wait they all are….nevermind
And to think, I almost wanted Pitt to take him that year. THANK GOD the front office knows a thing or two (or six!) and took Heath Miller instead.
“Kevin from Philly says:
March 16th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
The draft looks bad all the way down to 21 where Jones was talen. Only Merriman at 12 is a bona fide superstar.”
Well, Merriman hasn’t proved that he can be a star when not on Steroids…
Jones is a scum bag. A “supremely talented athlete” with hands of stone and a 30 second attention span. I’m sure he’ll get a shot with the Raiders or maybe Jerry Jones’ Home for Incorrigible Players.
they found out whom was wiping white boogers everywhere in the clubhouse! Booger sugar bandit caught!
Matt Cocaine Jones! He was having a good season before he got suspended. I wouldn’t mind him going to a team that needs a number 2 WR.
id take him in a Eagles uniform, if he promised not to pass that habit
@Philadeagles
Wrong, wrong and wrong.
Wide Receivers who made a Pro-Bowl from the 2005 NFL Draft:
Braylon Edwards
Roddy White
Jerome Mathis
Joshua Cribbs
TO Pea Tear Griffin:
Joshua Cribbs and Jerome Mathis were both at the pro bowl as special teams players. I’m sure that Mort was making his comparison based on receivers, not kick returners! Roddy made it this year and look what Braylon can’t catch a cold. Mort said “almost any of those guys”. Right now he’s only 1 behind. The rate Braylon is going, it will remain that way. I’m not a Jones supporter, but he is a converted QB.
@Philadeagles
True, but you said there are ZERO wide receivers from the ’05 draft that have made a Pro-Bowl….I’m just correcting your mistake. (BTW, even if they made it as a kick/punt returner, couldn’t one argue that they’ve had a bigger impact on their teams than a 1st round flameout?)