JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Less than a week after selecting a receiver in the first round of the NFL draft, the Jaguars cut loose wide receiver Zay Jones on Tuesday morning.
Jones signed a three-year contract with the Jaguars in March 2022, and by dismissing him, the team will save $4.49 million against the salary limit. The team made a number of changes on Tuesday, including the release of kicker Joey Slye. His release was one of them.
Brian Thomas Jr., a receiver from LSU, was selected by the Jaguars with the 23rd overall pick on Thursday. With 17 touchdown receptions in 2023, Thomas topped the FBS. Additionally, five-time Pro Bowl receiver Jarvis Landry, a veteran who missed the previous season’s NFL action, will be available for tryouts during the Jaguars’ rookie minicamp, which takes place from May 10–11.
Jones caught 116 passes for 1,144 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons with the Jaguars, including career highs in receptions (82) and receiving yards (823) in 2022. Jones missed eight games in 2023 because of a lingering knee injury that he suffered early in the season.
Jones was arrested in November and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery after an argument with the mother of his child allegedly resulted in an injury to her neck, according to an arrest and booking report. The Florida state attorney’s office announced in March that it would not pursue the charges against Jones and the case was dropped.
Jones, 29, was a second-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2017 and caught 90 passes for 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns in 36 games with the Bills. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders in October 2019 and caught 81 passes for 847 yards and two touchdowns in 43 games with the Raiders.
Jones signed a three-year, $24 million contract with $14 million guaranteed with the Jaguars in March 2022.
Slye signed a one-year, $1.29 million contract with $25,000 guaranteed in March. The Jaguars drafted Arkansas kicker Cam Little in the sixth round Saturday. Veteran kicker Riley Patterson remains on the roster.
The Jaguars also announced Tuesday they had agreed to terms with 13 undrafted free agents.
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