Bucs Monday Mailbag: Should The Bucs Sign WR Jones?

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Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds answers your questions from the @PewterReport Twitter account each week in the Bucs Monday Mailbag. Submit your question to the Bucs Monday Mailbag each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag. Here are the questions we chose to answer for this week’s edition.

QUESTION: Should the Bucs sign wide receiver Julio Jones? Could he help replace Chris Godwin if he’s not ready to go in Week 1?

ANSWER: Pewter Report’s J.C. Allen addressed this to a degree over the weekend in a story on Julio Jones on PewterReport.com. I think there are four big issues with Jones potentially signing with the Bucs – age, injury, role and salary.

The first is his age. Jones is 33 years old and is coming off his worst season statistically. After Tennessee acquired him in a trade with Atlanta, Jones had 31 catches for 434 yards and one touchdown. When he was healthy, he was a good complementary receiver to A.J. Brown. The fact that he still averaged 14 yards per catch was somewhat encouraging. But Jones missed seven games due to a recurring hamstring injury.

That’s the second biggest concern. Jones has missed a total of 13 games with hamstring injuries over the past two seasons. He missed six games with the Falcons in 2020 and seven last year with the Titans. Jones hardly practiced at all last year. I asked long-time Titans reporter Terry McCormick for his assessment of Jones’ play in 2021.

Former Falcons WR Julio Jones – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

“At this stage, he is probably a role player – a No. 2 or No. 3 receiver,” McCormick said. “He can still catch the ball in traffic and even make the spectacular catch. He’s not as fast anymore, so the YAC (yards after catch) might not be there. The biggest issue with Jones now is his health. His hamstring has plagued him for two years now. In a limited role, he can be effective, but I wouldn’t expect a 70-catch season from him just because of injury issues.”

At age 33 and given his stature in the league, Jones couldn’t be counted on to contribute on special teams. So, if the Bucs did sign him, it would be similar to the signing of Antonio Brown. But that means that the top four receivers on the depth chart – Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage and Jones – wouldn’t play on special teams. When Godwin returns to the lineup, whether it’s the first week of the season or shortly thereafter, would Jones and his ego mind a diminished role? He would be WR4 in this situation.

Jones is simply not the Buc-killer he was in his 20s with the Falcons. He had one 100-yard game last year in Tennessee, and that came in Week 2 against Seattle. He didn’t score his lone touchdown of the season until Week 18 against Houston. Jones’ skills have diminished. Yet, he is a big-bodied receiver at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds and has experience playing in the slot. He could help there in Godwin’s absence.

“He could do some things in the slot, as well as outside,” McCormick said. “His route running was good enough for the slot, as well as outside. For little bursts, he was very good and still explosive, but just couldn’t do it as consistently as they needed him to for the money they were paying. Titans never complained about him as a run blocker. He did okay at it, but A.J. Brown and Nick Westbrook were both better at run blocking than Julio was.”

So, what is the 33-year old Jones now worth? He would be a role player in Tampa Bay and certainly not worth the $11.513 million that the Titans paid him last year. Not even close. It would have to be a contract similar to what the Bucs paid Antonio Brown – likely around $2 million for the chance to catch passes from Tom Brady and win a Super Bowl ring. Is that good enough for Jones? There doesn’t seem to be a lot of demand for him right now. He remains an option for the Bucs at wide receiver.

QUESTION: I was rooting for James Bradberry and Melvin Ingram as free agent signings to go “all in” on Tom Brady’s last year. It worked for us two years ago and worked for the Rams last year. But this year feels like we’re in, but with an eye on the future with our cap. Who else can we get to go all-in?

ANSWER: The good news is that we’re still two months away from the beginning of training camp and over three months away from the start of the season. I’ll remind you that Bucs general manager Jason Licht has made some key late additions before. In 2014, Licht claimed defensive end Jacquies Smith off waivers before Week 1 and he became an instant starter for the Bucs. He had 13.5 sacks in two seasons before a torn ACL in Week 1 ended his 2016 early and disrupted his career. He was never the same player again.

Bucs OLB Carl Nassib – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Licht did the same thing in 2018 with Carl Nassib. He claimed the edge rusher off waivers from Cleveland and Nassib wound up being a part-time starter for the Bucs. He logged six sacks his first season as a defensive end, and 6.5 sacks as an outside linebacker when Todd Bowles arrived in 2019. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nassib is on the Bucs’ short list at outside linebacker given his experience in the scheme.

Running back Leonard Fournette was signed before the 2020 season started and “Playoff Lenny” was instrumental in helping the Bucs win Super Bowl LV. That was a vital “all in” signing for the Bucs. So, there have been several instances where Licht has added players who wound up as starters right before the season started.

Tampa Bay has also added key players during the season, too. In 2015, Licht signed center Joe Hawley on Sept. 14. He would step in as the starter for the injured Evan Dietrich-Smith. Then, he was signed to a two-year contract extension to be the Bucs’ starter. Licht also traded for defensive tackle Steve McLendon when Vita Vea went down with an injury early in 2020.

And of course, the Bucs also signed wide receiver Antonio Brown in November 2020. That was another “all in” addition by Licht, evidenced by Brown’s key touchdown at Washington in the playoffs. And there was his TD catch right before halftime in Super Bowl LV.

The Bucs’ roster is not finalized for 2022 yet. And there is plenty of time for Licht to add a few more key pieces – and plenty of free agents available. Signing another edge rusher and defensive tackle seems like a must. Adding another receiver and/or a tight end also seems probable.

QUESTION: Is the fact that the Bucs are signing more tight ends again an indication that they know Rob Gronkowski is not coming back?

ANSWER: The Bucs did sign undrafted free agent tryout player J.J. Howland after the rookie mini-camp. The Yale tight end caught everything that weekend and is one of four rookie tight ends on the roster. The Bucs drafted Cade Otton and Ko Kieft, then signed Ben Beise after the draft before adding Howland. Do these signings have anything to do with Rob Gronkowski? Of course they do. But it doesn’t mean that Gronk won’t return.

Bucs TE Cade Otton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Of course, the Bucs hope that Gronkowski will re-sign to Tampa Bay for a third season. But the team has to safeguard against the fact that he could retire. It’s a little perilous just riding into the season with Cameron Brate as the lone veteran. So, if Gronk does retire, I could see the Bucs signing another experienced tight end.

Brate will be 31 in July and Gronkowski just turned 33. Starting a youth movement at the tight end spot is critical right now for the future of the position. Getting a look at these young tight ends – even the undrafted free agents – in OTAs, mini-camp and training camp could help the Bucs prepare for life after Gronkowski and Brate. And they may discover a gem like they did with Brate back in 2014.

If Gronkowski does return to the Bucs, the four-deep chart will likely consist of Gronk, Brate, Otton and Kieft. If Beise and/or Howland impress more than Codey McElroy, one or both could be put on the practice squad to develop.

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