The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Dyami Brown in free agency but they'll need to make further additions to the wide receiver corps to make up for all departures. In fact, the news that Tim Jones just bolted for the Minnesota Vikings increases the team's urgency to address the position in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Vikes announced that they've agreed to terms with Jones. This isn't the kind of move that will help them get over the hump, but the former Mississippi State Golden Eagle is a valuable depth piece who can also contribute on special teams.
An undrafted free agent in 2021, Jones signed with the Jags and spent his rookie season on their practice squad. He made the roster the following year on the strength of an impressive preseason. However, he didn't get much playing time outside of special teams.
Jones made the team each of the past two seasons but didn't offer much as a pass catcher. Having said that, the team valued his blocking chops. A restricted free agent this offseason, Jacksonville opted not to tender him and let him walk.
Maybe if Jones had remained unsigned for a couple more weeks, the Jags would've brought him back, but he's now in Minnesota. In his three seasons with the Jags, the Mississippi native appeared in 51 games with three starts and hauled in 17 receptions for 154 yards.
After a week of free agency, the Jaguars have the following receivers under contract: Brian Thomas Jr., Gabe Davis, Parker Washington, Louis-Rees Zammit, Joshua Cephus III, Austin Trammell, David White Jr., and Dyami Brown.
Of the bunch, Rees-Zammit, Cephus, Trammell, and White will have a steep hill to climb to earn a roster spot. The rest are virtually locks to make the team.
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What's next for the Jaguars after losing Tim Jones to the Vikings?
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a bonafide No. 1 receiver in Brian Thomas Jr. Dyami Brown Jr. should start opposite him, and Parker Washington will most likely replace Christian Kirk in the slot. Gabe Davis might see a decline in playing time due to the arrival of Brown, but should still get plenty of targets. That's four spots. The Jags will need one or two more receivers — depending on how they build the offense — so they'll probably invest at least one draft pick at the position.
This begs the question, in which round should Jacksonville take a receiver? Tetairoa McMillan remains a popular pick at No. 5 even after running the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds. On the other hand, the Jags may want to prioritize other positions in the draft. They haven't added reinforcements to the defensive trenches, so nobody would bat an eye if they go after Mason Graham with the fifth overall selection. On the other hand, they could also bolster the offensive trenches or the secondary.
Either way, the Jags could wait until Rounds 2 or 3 to take a receiver. While this year's draft isn't as stacked as the position as it was in 2024, there still will be several enticing options on Day 2. Matthew Golden would make sense in the second round if he's available. Then again, Jacksonville can easily wait until Round 3, where Tre Harris should be available.
Ultimately, the Jacksonville Jaguars won't probably miss Tim Jones, but they'll need to replace him in the draft. How they do it, remains to be seen.