Detroit Lions: Decision to not tender WR TJ Jones a low-risk move

The Detroit Lions will not tender wide receiver TJ Jones, making him an unrestricted free agent when the league year beings March 14.

The Detroit Lions will not use their original-round tender to retain TJ Jones, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The wide out will be free to sign with any team when free agency begins next week.

Does this mean Jones played his last game as a Lion? Not necessarily.

What it does mean is the front office was not about to pay the price to tender him. Using that option, Jones would command a guaranteed $1.9 million salary for 2018,  a steep price for a fourth wide receiver whose season ended on injured reserve.

Under the tender, though, the Lions would reserve the right to match any contract offer from another team. If another team signed Jones, the Lions would receive that team’s sixth-round draft pick as compensation.

The move says that the Lions feel they can improve their depth at a cost on their terms. They can bring him back on a more manageable contract, or they can use the money it would have cost to tender him towards another free agent.

Not tendering Jones is a low-risk decision for the Lions, especially when considering the list of available free agent wide receivers. There are a lot of options to upgrade the wide receiver corps. Should the Lions fail to sign any of their preferred options, they can still improve through the draft. If all else fails, they may still be able to re-sign Jones, whose modest career production may not have teams lining up to acquire him.

Last season, and for the first time in his four seasons as a pro, Jones showed real signs of development. Prior to suffering a season-ending injury in Week 15, he notched career-best numbers in receptions (30) and yards (399). He was a clutch performer who filled in admirably when rookie Kenny Golladay was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Jones was a reliable target for Matthew Stafford when it came to moving the chains, as 22 of his 30 receptions went for first downs.

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Last year’s numbers show that Jones has some value to the Lions. Electing to not tender him simply means that the team values him less than $1.9 million per year. It gives the Lions flexibility going forward, regardless of whether Jones is part of their plans.