The Bills aren’t at great risk of losing wide receiver Donald Jones as a restricted free agent, but that isn’t stopping them from trying to lock him up before the start of free agency anyway.
Sal Capaccio of WGR 550 in Buffalo is reporting that the team and Jones are working on an extension. Jones is coming off the most productive season of his career, finishing with 41 catches for 443 yards and four touchdowns. Jones, who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2010, had 41 catches over his first two seasons in the league.
Jones’ season ended early because of an undisclosed illness, although it is obviously not an issue that is getting in the way of the Bills’ desire to lock Jones up for more than the one year they’d guarantee themselves with a tender offer. If they do wind up going the tender route, another team would need to hand over a draft pick to sign Jones away from Buffalo.
This doesn’t figure to be the end of their work on the receiving corps this offseason. Jones looks a lot better as a third or fourth receiver than he does as one of the team’s top targets and the Bills need to do more to support whoever their quarterback winds up being next season if their offense is going to take a step forward.