The Kansas City Chiefs are set to host free agent wide receiver Zay Jones for a visit on Thursday, May 9, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Jones, who played his college ball at East Carolina, entered the NFL as the all-time receptions leader in FBS history (399). He was selected in the second round — 37th overall — by the Buffalo Bills in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 200 pounds, Jones, 29, played two seasons in Buffalo before being traded to the then-Oakland Raiders in October 2019 in exchange for a 2021 fifth-round pick. He played with the Raiders through the 2021 season before he entered free agency for the first time in 2022 and signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jones’s most productive season in the NFL was during his time in Jacksonville. During the 2022 season, Jones set career-highs in targets (121), catches (82), and receiving yards (823), according to Pro Football Reference.
Unfortunately, knee and hamstring injuries during the 2023 season caused Jones to miss eight regular season games. In the games he was active for, Jones accumulated 34 receptions on 64 targets for 321 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Jones was released by Jacksonville on April 30, which was just five days after the team drafted LSU wideout Brian Thomas Jr. with the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Releasing Jones saved the Jaguars $4.1 million against the cap, according to Spotrac.
Chiefs Still Seeking Boundary Help on Offense
Though the two-time defending Super Bowl champions selected Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy 28th overall in April’s Draft, the team is still seeking receiver help, specifically along the boundary.
The Chiefs have a lot of speed on offense with the addition of Worthy as well as Marquise “Hollywood” Brown during free agency. But the receiver room is still lacking size.
The only receiver currently on Kansas City’s roster who is taller than Jones is third-year wideout Justyn Ross (6-foot-4). But Ross hasn’t proven enough to carve out a role for himself on offense, so his size has yet to be tapped into.
Jones, though he is also capable of playing the slot, is primarily a boundary receiver and succeeds in contested catch situations. So, it makes sense that the Chiefs are showing interest in the veteran free agent.
Jones’s visit with Kansas City comes just three days after the Chiefs wrapped up their three-day rookie minicamp on May 6.
According to the NFLPA’s Salary Cap Report, the Chiefs currently have $18.5 million in cap space.
Twitter/X Reacts to Chiefs Hosting Zay Jones
Users on X, formerly Twitter, reacted to the Chiefs hosting Zay Jones for a free agent visit.
“Was the WR3 in Doug Pederson’s offense last year. If he’s being asked to be the 4th or 5th option in an offense he’s a decent player. Raises the floor, not the ceiling,” Price Carter of Arrowhead Addict wrote.
“Of the options left I actually liked this the most. So good,” Conner Christopherson of Arrowhead Report wrote. “He won’t be a superstar or anything but he’s a solid vet who can fill in.”
“Veach had enough of the nonsense. He’s going to get a veteran,” another user wrote. “I actually like Zay. He had a good season for the Jags a couple years ago, declined a little last year but so did that whole offense (Trevor Lawrence). I think he’d do well in KC as a WR4.”
