James Jones was one of the few bright spots on the Raiders’ offense last year. Coming off a season with a career-best 73 receptions, Jones acknowledged this week that Reggie McKenzie’s call [to release him] caught him by surprise. “You can’t hold any grudges,” Jones told CSN Bay Area, “I love everybody over there… at the end of the day, they’re doing what’s best for their football team.”
In a previous radio segment, Jones spoke highly of the Raiders, particularly Derek Carr – even comparing him to his former quarterback in Green Bay. “I used to call him Baby A-Rod,” Jones told Sirius XM Radio, “because he throws the ball effortlessly and it’s a fling like Aaron [Rodgers].” Jones added that he believes Carr has “great receivers around him” and will be “a special player for a long time.”
As far as the season that was, Jones doesn’t feel the Raiders necessarily used him to his strengths.
It was my first year every playing in the slot. I played in the slot all year and that’s not where my strengths are at. At the same time, I do whatever the coach tells me to do to help the team win… with a young quarterback, with Derek Carr, they felt like me being a security blanket in the slot for him to throw the ball to would best suit him.
Jones was slated to count $3.4 million against the Raiders cap in 2015, and a possible return to Oakland doesn’t seem likely. The Raiders have purposed to get younger and added a similar receiver to Jones in Michael Crabtree.
So get ready. “Style, friendship, and fun” is right around the corner…
