Detroit Lions: With Marvin Jones lost for the season, what now?
The Detroit Lions will attempt to tackle to remainder of their regular season without wide receiver Marvin Jones, who is headed to Injured Reserve.
On Thanksgiving, the Detroit Lions suffered a pivotal divisional loss at the hands of the Mitchell Trubisky-less Chicago Bears. But the Lions were also without two of their offensive stars in rookie running back Kerryon Johnson and wide receiver Marvin Jones. Both suffering from knee injuries.
Now, the Lions will be without the services of one of them for the remainder of the season. Detroit has now placed Jones on Injured Reserve after missing the previous two games.
Jones is in his third season with the Lions, after signing as a free agent back in 2016. He was originally a fifth-round selection out of California back in 2012, playing his first four years as a professional with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Lions were relying heavily on Jones and second-year receiver Kenny Golladay to stabilize their passing attack after trading away wideout Golden Tate to the Philadelphia Eagles back in late October in exchange for a 2019 fourth round pick.
Jones will now end his 2018 season recording 35 receptions for 508 yards and five touchdowns in nine games. The 28-year old posted a career-high in yardage just last season (1,101) and seemed primed to take over the number one spot from Tate.
Now, that mantle will be passed to Golladay, who currently leads the Lions in catches with 52 receptions for 804 yards and five touchdowns. The former third-rounder has emerged this season as a potential top-end receiver in the league. But without Jones playing opposite of him, Golladay will likely face extra attention from opposing secondaries.
Without Marvin Jones in the lineup, expect the Detroit Lions to turn to newcomer Bruce Ellington and reserves like Andy Jones, T.J. Jones, and rookie Brandon Powell to help pick up the slack.