All ocular had been on Calvin Ridley when the Jaguars opened their 2023 season Sunday, and the previous Falcons megastar delivered, prominent the staff with 8 catches for 101 yards and a landing in a 31-21 win over the Colts. However certainly one of Ridley’s fellow broad receivers will have showed himself as Trevor Lawrence’s maximum worthy goal, in seventh-year veteran Zay Jones.
Ridley brings a fresh dynamic to Jacksonville’s receiving corps, and already his prediction of a 1,400-yard Jaguars debut turns out possible. Fellow starter Christian Kirk remainder a noteceable title as smartly, coming off his personal 1,100-yard debut on the town. Nevertheless it was once Jones, indexed 3rd at the staff’s WR intensity chart, who paced all the membership’s go catchers in offensive snaps towards the Colts.
With 5 catches on seven objectives, together with an acrobatic 18-yard landing, Jones additionally completed simply at the back of Ridley because the Jags’ maximum fruitful outlet for Lawrence. What’s extra, his reference to the younger quarterback has been robust courting again to early within the 2022 marketing campaign, Lawrence’s first underneath professor Doug Pederson.
Jones quietly completed 2022, his first in Jacksonville, with a career-high 82 catches for 823 yards and 5 TDs. 8 of his 15 begins incorporated a minimum of 8 objectives, and that doesn’t come with the playoffs, the place the previous Expenses and Raiders veteran outproduced even Kirk towards the Chargers and Chiefs. With 13 catches on 20 objectives (65%) for 157 yards and a rating, Jones was once the most productive WR at Lawrence’s disposal when it counted maximum, and that pattern persevered in While 1’s win over Indy.
None of this implies Jones will surpass Ridley because the Jags’ Incorrect. 1 wideout. Upcoming securing only one catch for 9 yards towards the Colts, Kirk additionally figures to look an uptick in motion because the season wears on. However don’t be shocked if, on key downs in key video games, Lawrence is first having a look within the route of Incorrect. 7, who’s spent the closing 12 months rising as a depended on member of an ascending offense.
