Getty ImagesThe Raiders took a late dip into free agency to sign Michael Crabtree and then they added Amari Cooper with the fourth overall pick of the draft, a pair of moves that appear to have convinced the team to move on from James Jones.
Jones told Fallon Smith of CSN Bay Area that Raiders General Manager Reggie McKenzie informed him that the Raiders were going to release him after one year with the team.
That one year was the first year of a three-year deal and Jones caught 73 passes for 666 yards and six touchdowns during his season in Oakland. That paltry average yards per catch speaks to Jones’s difficulty creating separation from opposing defenses last season and the two new arrivals plus the expected return of Rod Streater didn’t promise much playing time in 2015.
Jones was due to make $3.4 million in 2015 and his departure leaves no dead money on the cap. He’s the latest 2014 acquisition to leave the team after one season, joining Antonio Smith, Tarell Brown, Carlos Rogers, Maurice Jones-Drew, Matt Schaub and LaMarr Woodley as short-term members of the organization.
Good luck, Mr Jones.
Also, James Jones is still better than Michael Craptree 😂
In my opinion this move defies any logic. James Jones was one of McKenzie’s few good FA signings last year and he was the best WR on the Raiders roster in 2014…which admittedly isn’t saying too much. I’m hopeful that Amari Cooper will become a true #1 option for the Silver & Black ASAP but even if this occurs it’s not as if the Raiders have a lot of depth behind him. I don’t see Crabtree or any of the left-overs from last year being better than Jones.
Good move dropping him. The raiders are a better team today than they were a year ago.
If nothing else RM knows how to fill the roster with contracts that don’t kill the team.
Those are decent numbers and its not like the Raiders are strapped for cash.
That list of hasbeen one and dones is the story of 2014 Raiders, over the hill gang.
Makes no sense, wasn’t he the Raiders leading receiver? Huh, need that veteran mix in there, that mentor with championship experience, I know that is not Crabtree.
Ted Thompson let him walk for a reason.
Wanting to younger at all skill positions, makes sense
Hmm—”stud” receivers leave the Packers and perform mediocrely elsewhere? Who’d’ve figured that?
he’s better than crabtree……IMO
His stats aren’t that bad….
Old man out.
Would have been nice if they just let him stay on packers all along…
Just like every other player in Green Bay not named Jordy Nelson: you are nothing without Aaron Rodgers making you look like a superstar. Now put your tail between your legs and go back to Wisconsin.
WHAT MATT SCHAUB IS AVAILABLE?? Why hasn’t PFT and others started pushing him as a top FA signing like what happened with Josh McCown! He could be the answer to the Browns, Jets, Titans, Jaguars, or Bills QB problem at last.
Although there’s no real room for him to return to Green Bay, I’d LOVE to have him back. What a teammate!
Right back to Green Bay I bet, and their offense continues without missing a beat. He won’t play there much either unless injury or in blowouts… But at least he’s got an automatic ticket to the playoffs.
Crabtree is not an upgrade over James Jones. I’m a Packet fan and have watched him his whole career even in Oakland. He stays healthy and has pretty good hands. He has never been a speed guy but catches well in traffic. No off field issues or locker room troubles. Thought Oakland made a good pick up. Best of luck Jones.
First Greg Jennings, now James Jones. These guys realize pretty quickly that they aren’t that good unless A-Rod is throwing them the ball.
I knew this would happen
The number one problem with the Raiders is the make shift offensive line. The OL sucks! Great at being a speed bump, but nothing else. Did they fix this with the draft? No. Hopefully the new guys can run block and replace Barnes.
The Raiders were dead last in rushing last year.
The Seahawks had more than double the number of rushing yards (the Cowboys almost double). The OL could pass protect for 3 seconds. That was their strength.
No OL = no time for the offense to get plays going. Defenses pressured the LOS, including the CBs. The offense was basically one-two-three get rid of it. That’s not a lot of time for the receivers to get separation or to make a down field move to get open for Carr to find.
At least Jones caugbt the ball. He was tbe most consistent receiver.
It’s nice of OAK to release him early so he can latch on to another team before camps get rolling. He’s a an excellent WR2 or 3 for some team. I can see him joining a contender (maybe back to GB?). Great guy….
All the best to you and thanks for your effort, James.
It’s weird seeing the Raiders being built the right way and having all this cap room.
That’s good; he didnt live up to his own hype as a true #1 receiver anyway.
lol, let’s cut the one proven guy.
Cause having drafted 1 guy along with signing Michael Bust-Tree is how you build an awesome receiving corp.
GB is stacked at WR. No room for him on the roster.
James Jones has always seemed to be a great teammate. He played well last year for a talent strapped WR corps. It was nice to have the former SJ State alum back where he started. I am sure Carr more than appreciated his veteran leadership.
Wit the signings of Crabtree and Cooper and the return of Streeter (not to mention Butler and Holmes possibly emerging), there was just not enough room for an aging James Jones. I hope he catches on somewhere else and continues his career.
Should have kept him to mentor Cooper
Maybe the Canadian league will sign him so Joe can watch a former NFL player in the CFL..only football that will ever be in Toronto…to be honest, Jones was twice the player Crabtree was.
He’d be welcomed back in Green Bay by the fans. He didn’t burn any bridges, unlike Jennings
Yeah I think any WR will suffer when they go from a future HOF QB to the likes of Christian Ponder, Matt Cassell, Matt Schaub or the rookie Derek Carr. Its not rocket science people.
Would love to have Jones back in GB but theres no room for him.
Losing Lamarr “Take the money and run” Woodley after one season is the best thing that could have happened to Oakland.
Actually Andre Holmes was our leading WR with nearly 700 yards. So we’ll have Streater, Cooper, Holmes, Crabtree, Butler, and maybe KR/PR Debose. Hopefully Cooper can be the #1 consistently because the rest of these guys can ALL be the #2 WR easily.
fordmandalay says:
May 4, 2015 8:20 AM
WHAT MATT SCHAUB IS AVAILABLE?? Why hasn’t PFT and others started pushing him as a top FA signing like what happened with Josh McCown! He could be the answer to the Browns, Jets, Titans, Jaguars, or Bills QB problem at last.
——–
Why hasn’t PFT pushed Schaub as a top FA? Well, the Raiders released him on 3/16 and the Ravens signed him on 3/31. Personally, I’d prefer that PFT not push him as a top FA since he is not a FA.
Jordy and Randall were smart enough to realize they are also…just average.
well similar to MJD he at least got to play for the team he grew up dreaming about playing for….wish you the best J. Jones in the future…..I guess your 3.5 million this year pretty much shuffles over to Amari.
Go Raiders!
Pure possession receiver at this point in his career.
Without a doubt kept us in games with his sure hands on 3rd and shorts but besides that he was a non factor and had 0 explosiveness left.
Most consistent WR yes, but we needed more at the position. With Streater and Cooper on the outside and Holmes and Crabtree sharing slot duty we got a decent core atm.
Good person and certainly a better player than Jennings at this point. But the Packers have ridiculous depth at WR right now, so he’ll be going elsewhere. He’ll be on a roster before opening day. Good luck to him.
Dunno what that nerd up top is talking about with our OLine either, it was top5 last year as a unit, Murray rushed for almost 6ypc once he finally got a shot, mjd and mcfadden just arnt who they were when younger.
3.4 million is not that much for a player with James Jones talent. He is a good receiver but there just wasn’t that much talent with him on the Raiders offense to look really good.
It would not surprise me if a team lacking receivers signs him. Vikings, Dolphins, Jaguars, and maybe the Bears.
Yet this move just validates the fact that Oakland is the place where players go to die in.
Retirement.
this validates the move by COBB
have a superstar QB pitch to you and you will fill your entire contract vs. collecting one big year and voiding the rest
In an NFL with no guarantees – take the sure thing!