Buffalo Bills: The importance of Zay Jones

For anyone not aware of how much the Buffalo Bills need Zay Jones, the news he will miss the rest of spring after knee surgery should resolve this.

When the Buffalo Bills drafted Zay Jones last year, it came with a lot of anticipation. He finished his college career as the all-time NCAA Division I career receptions leader.

However, things didn’t quite pan out as planned. Jones finished his rookie season with 27 receptions, for 316 yards and two scores.

In fairness to the 2017 second round draft pick, there were other factors to consider. This included a conservative offensive approach, which resulted in the second-fewest pass attempts in the NFL.

Further, Jones did offer some glimpses of what he was capable of, particularly in Weeks 9 and 11. In the two contests combined, he had 10 receptions and 121 receiving yards, along with his first NFL touchdown.

Still, more will be expected from the 23-year-old during his sophomore campaign. However, first of all he has to work on getting back onto the field.

That’s because one of the main takeaways from the Bills’ first week of OTAs, was the news Jones will be missing for the rest of spring. As reported by NFL.com’s Kevin Patra, the wide receiver underwent knee surgery last week.

The news was confirmed by head coach Sean McDermott, who added: “At this point, we aren’t concerned this injury will jeopardize his season.”

However, it would be very easy to at least be somewhat concerned, given McDermott said ‘at this point’. He went on to admit there is no further timetable at this stage.

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No matter how much Jones underperformed during his rookie season — and he did — he is extremely vital to the Bills. Partly because of his undoubted talent, but also because of how underwhelming the receiving corps is right now.

After Jones and Kelvin Benjamin, there is a significant drop-off in the available talent. Names such as Kaelin Clay, Brandon Reilly and Rod Streater are not exactly going to strike fear into opposing secondaries.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t some decent depth between the Bills’ projected starting receivers. For example, Jeremy Kerley and Andre Holmes have enjoyed certain levels of success at different points during their respective NFL careers.

However, there are certainly no guarantees either will step up when the real action begins. Which is why Jones’ recovery is so vital.

The Dallas, Texas native’s knee surgery is just the latest incident in what has been a tumultuous offseason for him. He underwent shoulder surgery during January and was arrested in March for suspicion of felony vandalism, although this charge was later dropped.

If Jones suffers any setback in his recovery, the Bills will have to look for reinforcements at the wide receiver position (which they should be doing anyway). One possibility is the still unsigned Dez Bryant.

We previously explained why the Buffalo Bills should stay away from Bryant, something which general manager Brandon Benane seems to agree with. However, it may well become a case of taking the risk and making an offer to him, if matters don’t improve soon at the wideout position.

Next: Assessing the QB battle after first week of OTAs

What was your take on Jones’ first season in the NFL? And what kind of production are you expecting from him in 2018? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.