Detroit Lions are bringing back wide receiver Marvin Jones

After the free agent departure of DJ Chark left a bit of a void, the Detroit Lions are bringing back wide receiver Marvin Jones.

Reuniting has been a theme for the Detroit Lions this offseason, in one way or another. They’re doing it again, with Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reporting Wednesday that wide receiver Marvin Jones is signing a one-year deal with the Lions.

Per Garafolo, Jones’ deal has a $3 million base value and he can make up to $5 million total with incentives.

Jones has confirmed the move.

After starting his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, Jones previously played five seasons with the Lions from 2016-2020. He had good rapport with Matthew Stafford, topping 900 yards in three of those seasons and he also had three seasons with nine touchdowns (reaching both marks in a season twice).

Jones’ best campaign as a Lion, and the best of his career, was 2017 when he had 61 catches for 1,101 yards and nine touchdowns as he averaged a league-best 18.0 yards per catch. He is third on the Lions’ all-time receiving touchdown list (36), trailing only Calvin Johnson and Herman Moore.

At the start of the rebuild in Detroit, Jones left the Lions for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 free agency. He had a pretty productive first season in Jacksonville, with 73 receptions for 832 yards. Then free agent additions (Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, Zay Jones) pushed him down the target pecking order last season, and he finished with 46 catches for 529 yards.

Jones, now 33 years old, was easy to eye as a potential replacement for the now departed DJ Chark. His absolute best years are pretty well behind him, but he still has something left in the tank. Not to be overlooked, he should be a fantastic fit in a Lions’ locker room and culture that’s way different than the one he left behind from the 2020 season.

The Lions are leaving filling many needs so far this offseason, as they clearly see it’s their time to go out and win the NFC North this year. After being one of the most underrated free agent signings in franchise history the first time around, Jones is coming back to be part of the new party in Detroit.