wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member Topic Starter
10 years ago

GREEN BAY — James Jones hasn't entirely given up hope of returning to the Green Bay Packers, but the soon-to-be unrestricted free-agent wide receiver clearly understands his predicament.

Speaking on NFL Network's NFL Total Access Monday , Jones came off as honest but realistic about his chances of coming back to the Packers after a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel during the NFL Scouting Combine that the club hasn't made him any sort of contract offer in advance of free agency opening on March 11.

"It's an exciting time for me and my family. I would love to go back to Green Bay and play ball there; I love a lot of my teammates there and 😍 playing with one of the best quarterbacks in the game," Jones said. "But we all know this is a business; this is the part that we all hate but you have to deal with it."

The last time Jones was an unrestricted free agent, in 2011 after the Packers' Super Bowl XLV-winning season, a lockout wiped out the offseason and free agency opened just before training camp. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers went to bat for him -- both publicly and privately -- in an effort to get the club to re-sign Jones, and he wound up returning for a three-year deal worth $9.6 million.

With the emergence of Jarrett Boykin when injuries struck Jones and Randall Cobb last season, and the team's desire to extend Cobb's and Jordy Nelson's deals, it appears the Packers only want Jones back if they can re-sign him at their price. Jones has spent all seven of his NFL seasons with the Packers after they took him in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft out of San Jose State.

Last season, he caught 59 passes for 817 yards, setting a career high for receiving yards, despite missing two-plus games with a knee injury suffered at Baltimoreon Oct. 13. Although he wasn't the touchdown machine he was the previous year (NFL-high 15 TD catches), he still showed at age 29 that he has plenty of football in front of him.

A veteran leader who is admired in locker room and active in the community, Jones finished last year having played 925 snaps despite the knee injury, which he came back from before he should have. He also played final weeks of season with broken ribs, which may explain in part the two drops that he had on tough but catchable balls in the playoff loss to San Francisco.

"Priority No. 1 is taking care of my family. Priority No. 2 is if I'm not able to go back to Green Bayto find a good fit with a good quarterback with people that are trying to win," Jones said. "[I want] to be a part of that and help them win some ballgames."

Asked if there are any quarterbacks in the NFL he would like to play with, Jones said he'd prefer to stay with Rodgers but suggested Indianapolisor Seattlemight be fun to join.

"Yeah there are a couple of quarterbacks out there. Not saying they're better than the guy that I'm playing with now, but there are a couple of guys out there," Jones said. "I wouldn't mind playing with some of the young guys — Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson. I wouldn't mind playing with those guys but I would love to stay put and play with A-Rod though."

Jason Wilde  wrote:


Zero out did himself this time. The article pulls in the link without me having to do so and the "love" smilie. I didn't do it. Interesting.

As for JJ. It is nice to see he isn't bitter. At least publicly. He understands it is only business. You never know, he may be back.
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El3ment12
10 years ago
I hope he's back. If not I'll be rooting for him wherever he goes (assuming it's not the vikings, bears, or lions..). I gotta remember though that Minnesota just loves taking out players from us cuz they can't find there own.
sschind
10 years ago
Let me start by saying This isn't a knock on Jones at all. I love James Jones and I wish him the best wherever he goes. I think he is a great WR and I think the Packers WR corps will suffer if he leaves.

Having said that, I am really sick of the "I need to provide for my family" bullshit. Are you telling me your family can't survive on a contract giving you 4 million dollars a year? You need to sign a deal for 5 (numbers used for illustrative purposes and not to convey any actual offers or demands )

My rant has nothing to do with wanting more money. I am in no way saying a player should take less money for any reason if they do not want to. If they want the higher deal go for it. Just leave your family out of it.

I also realize that a players career is relatively short but a million dollar difference is hardly going to put your family in the poor house.

You hear it all the time with free agents "I have to do what is best for my family" well, the vast majority of the time they feel that what is best for their family is to take the highest offer. What ever happened to letting your kids grow up in a stable environment. Not ripping them away from their schools and their friends every 4 years while you chase the buck. Maybe that is what is best for your family.

Obviously there may be instances where moving on is best for your family. I wouldn't think, when we are talking about dollar amounts in the multiple millions wherever you play, that money would be on of them.

Again, I am not knocking Jones. Its a feeling towards pretty much every free agent who has used his family as an excuse or a tool to get people on his side. And it is obvious that if the team doesn't offer a player a contract he has no choice to move on. He also has every right to capitalize on his talents. He should not be expected to accept a lowball offer out of pure loyalty. However, in most cases even a lowball offer would put his family in pretty good standing I would think.

I don't know about you but if I am raising my kids on a 100 thousand a year (just another number I pulled out of the air for illustrative purposes. I know lots of people raising families quite well on less, a lot less) I am not going to feel much sympathy for an athlete set to make several million dollars when he complains about needing more money to take care of his family.

Like El3ment12, I will be rooting for Jones wherever he ends up. He is one of the few Packers players that I would actually follow his career if he leaves. However, I will not be concerned about the financial situation of his family. They will be fine wherever he ends up.
wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member Topic Starter
10 years ago
sschind I agree with what you are saying. I grow weary of it as well. Especially when 2 offers are comparable with one of the organizations clearly being more stable. And yet the player/agent goes with the other team for a few pesos more.

That said too few players actually bring their family to the city they play for these days. It is a shame. Remember Brett having a beautiful house in GB and yet he flew his family back and forth on weekends? I remember his daughters wanted to graduate from the HS in MS.

I also agree that you and your family can live just as comfortably on $4 mil as you can on $5 mil. But the extra million can make a difference. If invested WISELY (and that is always an issue with players) it can provide assets to the grand kids and possibly their children as well so I can fault a man for grabbing every nickle he can. Keep in mind I will still complain when the decision goes against the team I feel the guy should play for.


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Wade
  • Wade
  • Veteran Member
10 years ago
Well, if I couldn't do more for my family with an extra million, or even an extra ten grand, what kind of a parent would I be?

I don't like the "provide for my family" cliche, either.

On the other hand, in the corporate world (of which the NFL is clearly part), cliches are an essential part of everyday non-speak. "Provide for my family" is no worse than "don't want to overpay" or "we're going to pursue all options" and a hundred other examples.

With very few exceptions (Charles Woodson comes to mind, but for life of me I can't think of another current player/coach/agent/executive), none of their blatherings says much.

Economists call it the principle of revealed preference: Especially when it comes to "business" decisions, actions speak. Words just fill the air.

"Provide for my family" is just another empty pudding box.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
Zero2Cool
10 years ago
WR James Jones just told me he wants this known: "I would love the opportunity to play for the Carolina Panthers. I would love to play with Cam (Newton)."



Screw you!!
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sschind
10 years ago
What is the guy supposed to do sit by the phone and wait for the Packers to decide he has sweated long enough waiting for their oh so generous offer? Or maybe since its been almost a week he is supposed to go to them with his tail between his legs and say "I guess no one wants me, I'll take whatever scraps you guys want to give me"

It clear the Packers do not want him back or they would have given him something to go off of. I still hold out hope that he will re sign but the idea of a hometown discount is past and he will sign for the most money and I don't blame him one bit. I wouldn't want to give a deal to a team that didn't really want me either.



DakotaT
10 years ago
I think James Jones is a current day Corey Bradford or Billy Schroeder; and the rest of the League knows this too. Aaron Rodgers makes receivers not the other way around. If Jones were as talented as Cobb or Nelson, he would have already been re-signed.

Cue the asstards who call me a Jones hater, when in fact, all I am is being realistic. Boykins is already entrenched as the 3rd wide receiver and is due a pay raise. So now tell me, what is James Jones value to the Green Bay Packers as their 4th wide out?
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nerdmann
10 years ago

I think James Jones is a current day Corey Bradford or Billy Schroeder; and the rest of the League knows this too. Aaron Rodgers makes receivers not the other way around. If Jones were as talented as Cobb or Nelson, he would have already been re-signed.

Cue the asstards who call me a Jones hater, when in fact, all I am is being realistic. Boykins is already entrenched as the 3rd wide receiver and is due a pay raise. So now tell me, what is James Jones value to the Green Bay Packers as their 4th wide out?

Originally Posted by: DakotaT 



Jones is solid, if unspectacular. Underrated.
“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”
sschind
10 years ago

I think James Jones is a current day Corey Bradford or Billy Schroeder; and the rest of the League knows this too. Aaron Rodgers makes receivers not the other way around. If Jones were as talented as Cobb or Nelson, he would have already been re-signed.

Cue the asstards who call me a Jones hater, when in fact, all I am is being realistic. Boykins is already entrenched as the 3rd wide receiver and is due a pay raise. So now tell me, what is James Jones value to the Green Bay Packers as their 4th wide out?

Originally Posted by: DakotaT 



I think Jones is better than Boykin and most people would if it weren't for the drops early in his career.

I sure hope its all Aaron Rodgers because in 2 short years the Packers will have gone from the best pass receiving team in the NFC North without a doubt to no better than somewhere in the mix.

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