Bills head coach Sean McDermott admitted it’s a “fair question” as to whether Buffalo would have traded Sammy Watkins had they known fellow wide receiver Anquan Boldin would soon retire, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (multiple links). Although McDermott referred to the two transactions as “separate entities,” Boldin announced his retirement just four days after the Bills shipped Watkins to the Rams for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a second-round selection. Of course, Buffalo also acquired pass-catcher Jordan Matthews on the same day it traded Watkins, and the Bills are “always” examining upgrades at wide receiver, per McDermott.

More from Buffalo and two other AFC cities:

• The season-ending injury to cornerback Tony Lippett will have consequences for the Dolphins not only for the upcoming season, but for the 2018 campaign, argues Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Lippett, a collegiate wide receiver, had taken a massive leap as a defensive back in 2016, playing nearly three-quarters of Miami’s defensive snaps. While Lippett’s development may have allowed the Dolphins to release Byron Maxwell next spring (clearing his $10MM cap charge), the club may not have that option given the uncertainty surrounding Lippett’s health.
• Reporters peppered Bills linebacker Reggie Ragland with questions on Tuesday about whether he’s a trade candidate, according to Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News. As one would expect, Ragland suggested that he’s not worried about rumors and noted that he’s “got to keep getting better,” though it’s nonetheless an open question as to whether he’s a fit in the Bills’ defense. The Bills chose Ragland in the second round of the 2016 draft after a costly trade up, but he missed his rookie season with a torn ACL and is now under the thumb of a new administration in Buffalo. The Doug Whaley–Rex Ryan duo responsible for the Ragland pick is gone, as is the Bills’ previous 3-4 scheme. Ragland has languished in a third-team role in Buffalo’s 4-3 alignment this preseason under Ryan’s replacement, McDermott, leading Pro Football Rumors’ Dallas Robinson to observe last week that the ex-Alabama star could be in another uniform soon.
• Bengals cornerback Adam Jones‘ one-game suspension is now official, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. The 33-year-old’s ban, which the league handed down in July, came after he was charged with three misdemeanors and a felony stemming from a January arrest. Jones was able to avoid jail time and a lengthy suspension after pleading guilty to a lesser offense. He’ll miss the Bengals’ season opener against AFC North rival Baltimore.

Dallas Robinson and Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

The Bengals have placed cornerback Adam Jones on injured reserve with a groin injury. To take his place, the team promoted fellow corner Tony McRae from the practice squad. 

Jones, 34, was forced out of last week’s game against the Steelers with the injury. On Pittsburgh’s first offensive drive, Jones dove to intercept Ben Roethlisberger. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get up after that when he suffered the tear.

Jones’ season is over after just nine games, 23 tackles, one interception, and four passes defensed. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus indicate that this has been his worst season ever as a pro. His overall score of 47.0 portrays him as a below replacement level player and he is ranked just 91 out of 115 qualified cornerbacks. For reference, he was PFF’s No. 37 CB in 2016 and their No. 15 CB in 2015.

Given his age, regression, and history of off-the-field issues, it’s fair to wonder if Jones will be back with the Bengals in 2018. He’s under contract for next year with a $6.66MM cap number, but the Bengals would only have to eat $666K if they release him.

Losing Jones will hurt the Bengals’ already slim hopes of reaching the playoffs. Cincinnati is 5-7 heading into tomorrow’s game against the Bears with just a 1.7% chance of securing an AFC Wild Card spot, according to Football Outsiders.

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James Harrison sounds like he’s regretting his offseason decision to re-sign with the Steelers. The 39-year-old edge defender told NBC’s Michele Tafoya he would have signed elsewhere had he known he was going to receive this level of playing time (Twitter link). Harrison’s been active for just four Steelers games and has played just 29 snaps. While the Steelers viewed him as a bullpen-type weapon this offseason, those plans either haven’t come to fruition or are part of a long-game solution by the Super Bowl-contending team. He delivered standout football as a full-timer last season, and Pro Football Focus has not viewed Bud Dupree‘s work highly this season. But it hasn’t been enough to get Harrison on the field. Harrison signed a two-year deal to stay in Pittsburgh in March; the Steelers can save $1.3MM by cutting him after the season. While Harrison could look elsewhere if he wants to continue his career, he’ll turn 40 in May and did not fare well the only other time he left Pittsburgh, having retired from the 2013 Bengals.

Here’s the latest from the North divisions.

• John Ross enjoyed an up-and-down 2017. The former Washington speedster became a top-10 selection despite offseason injuries but enjoyed one of the more nondescript rookie seasons a first-round wideout has in memory, playing just 17 snaps over three Bengals games and failing to catch a pass. Ross will encounter more hurdles soon. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter) Ross will undergo surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder. This comes after Ross underwent a procedure to repair the labrum in his right shoulder. While this marks yet another surgery for the oft-injured pass-catcher, Rapoport notes Ross is expected to be ready by OTAs.
• The Bengals placed Adam Jones on IR on Saturday, but the veteran cornerback does not want to wrap up his career just yet. The 34-year-old Jones said (on Twitter) he’s “not done playing football.” A team option will determine whether Jones will play his age-35 season on the Bengals, who can save $6MM by cutting the polarizing but effective corner.
• Paul DePodesta and John Dorsey have yet to meet, with their first summit set to come when they watch Sunday’s Browns-Packers game together. Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports the team’s chief strategy officer was not in on the GM’s hiring, and the longtime Browns reporter doesn’t see how this setup will work. The former MLB exec and Dorsey will each report to Jimmy Haslam, with some potentially contradictory philosophies, while the Browns attempt to move on from a chaotic period that was largely caused by disparate-thinking voices in the building.
• However, the draft choices Brown acquired and cap space he helped create were the most attractive part of this job, Dorsey said (via Pat McManamon of ESPN.com). Dorsey will control the 53-man roster for the first time in his GM history, commandeering these responsibilities after Andy Reid had them in Kansas City, and he’ll be entering an offseason with more than $110MM in cap space and five first- or second-round picks in the upcoming draft. Dorsey will also likely have access to the No. 1 pick, just as he did during his first Chiefs draft in 2013. The Chiefs took Eric Fisher atop a lower-regarded draft that year.

The Bengals have informed cornerback Adam Jones that they won’t be picking up his option, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (on Twitter). However, they would like him back at a cheaper rate to compete as a nickel corner and kick returner. 

This was the expected move, as the Bengals are saving $6MM by declining the veteran’s option. Jones was an effective punt returner last year, averaging 21.8 yards per attempt. He started in all nine of his games at cornerback in an injury-shorted season, but played only 299 snaps. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus rated his season as his worst ever, by a wide margin. He fared better in the previous two seasons, when he ranked as PFF’s No. 37 CB in 2016 and their No. 15 CB in 2015.

Jones will turn 35 in September, but he has said that he wants to continue playing football.

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Free agent cornerback Adam Jones hasn’t drawn known interest since the Bengals declined his option earlier this year, but the veteran defensive back says he’s now fully healthy and hopes to sign with a new club in the near future.

“I had groin surgery the week after the Super Bowl,” Jones told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter links). “I’m finally 100 percent from that, just got cleared by the doctors. Running full speed. Have been in contact with several teams, I expect it to pick up in the coming weeks.”

Jones, 34, also indicated that a return to Cincinnati was a “definite possibility,” although there are certainly hurdles that could preclude Jones from heading back to the Queen City. The Bengals opted to not pay Jones nearly $6MM (base salary, roster bonus, and workout bonus) for the 2018 campaign, so any new deal would likely need to come in at a cheaper rate. Additionally, Cincinnati is largely set at corner with a starting package of William Jackson III, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Darqueze Dennard, so Jones would be returning in a limited role.

Jones was limited to just nine games with the Bengals a season ago, and didn’t fare particularly well in 299 defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus assigned Jones the worst mark (47.1) of his entire career, although he’d performed relatively better in recent years. Aside from his work on defense, Jones can also be a factor in the kicking game, as he’s posted more than 300 combined kick and punt returns during his NFL tenure.

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Bengals cornerback Adam Jones was arrested for three misdemeanors and a felony last night, as Paul Dehner Jr. and Kevin Grasha of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Jones, through his attorney during arraignment, said he “vehemently denies” the accusations brought against him. 

[RELATED: Bengals QB A.J. McCarron Wouldn’t Oppose Trade]

It’s alleged that Jones assaulted a man by “pushing and poking” him in the eye. Cops say he refused to stop when ordered to and he refused to enter the cop car as he was kicking and head-butting officers. The misdemeanor charges against him are for his alleged assault, disorderly conduct, and obstructing of official business. The felony charge is for “harassment of a member of the medical staff in the justice center with a bodily substance,” which is for spitting on a nurse at the jail.

Given Jones’ history, these charges could have serious legal ramifications and could lead to a lengthy suspension for the 2017 season. Jones is under contract with the Bengals through 2018 after signing a three-year, $22MM deal in March.

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While the Colts are set for a front-office transition, they are set to return most of their offensive coaching staff, with one exception. The Bills’ previous wide receivers coach, Sanjay Lal, will make the move to Indianapolis to work in the same capacity, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Lal coached Buffalo’s wideouts for two seasons. Between 2009-14, he worked with the Raiders’ and Jets’ receiving corps. Lal replaces Lee Hull, whom the team dismissed.

Aside from that switch, the Colts will return OC Rob Chudzinski‘s staff. Former Dolphins HC Joe Philbin will remain in charge of Indianapolis’ offensive line, Quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer will return as well. Although, no such assurances are made to this staff beyond the 2017 season, and per Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, the assistants are exhibiting a sense of relief at the Senior Bowl that Ryan Grigson‘s firing did not come with a sizable staff shakeup.

Here’s more from the AFC.

• Jim Irsay continues to consult with former Colts GM Bill Polian, per Holder, about the search to replace Grigson. Holder isn’t certain the Hall of Fame executive will sit in on the interviews, but it’s clear he’s functioning as a sounding board for his former boss.
• When Doug Whaley listed some of the Bills‘ free agents, he categorized three players (Stephon Gilmore, Robert Woods and RFA punter Colton Schmidt) as starters before pointing to the other 25 players in that grouping as performers brought in for depth purposes. “The rest of those guys, we brought in for backup depth purposes and they’ve played extremely well, and that’s a compliment to our pro personnel department,” Whaley said, via Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. “But we feel we have confidence that we can get a lot of those guys back on extended contracts.” Mike Rodak of ESPN.com points out UFAs like Lorenzo Alexander, right tackle Jordan Mills and Zach Brown enhanced their value this season (Twitter links) and won’t likely be regarded as depth players once they hit free agency. Rodak (via Twitter) also doesn’t see Alexander, used as an outside linebacker in Rex Ryan‘s 3-4 scheme, as a fit in Doug McDermott‘s 4-3.
• The Jets are almost certainly set for some type of negotiation with Darrelle Revis about reducing his contract, but should he return in 2017, a transition to safety is in play. New Jets secondary coach Dennard Wilson said he “wouldn’t think it would be a problem” for Revis to take up playing on the back line, per Connor Hughes of NJ.com. Wilson demurred when asked whether he wants Revis on the 2017 team. The Jets can save $9MM by cutting Revis before the second day of the new league year but will incur a $6MM dead-money hit — one that would be alleviated, due to offset language, if Revis lands elsewhere.
• Gang Green has done “extensive homework” on former Texans OC George Godsey, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport views Godsey, who mutually parted ways with the Texans after the team’s divisional-round loss to the Patriots, as a strong candidate to succeed Chan Gailey.
• One of the Jets’ considerations with their No. 6 overall pick will be North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky, Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com notes. However, Pauline said upon discussions at the Senior Bowl that labeling the Jets as being infatuated with the early-entry Tar Heels talent may be a bit overblown, noting the Jets are part of a “pack of teams” at the top of the draft considering Trubisky.
• Adam Jones could face a suspension next season after his profanity-laced tirade against police officers was captured on video. The Bengals cornerback issued an apology statement, via the Associated Press, following the franchise’s apology. Jones will be set for his age-34 season next year, which doubles as the second year of his latest Bengals contract.

Adam Jones‘ recent arrest casts a shadow over his status with the 2017 Bengals. Despite the Bengals having signed the 33-year-old cornerback to a three-year deal last year, team sources told Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer a consensus about Jones’ status in Cincinnati next season hasn’t been determined.

The controversial corner signed a $22MM deal last March, but this event could end his time with the Bengals. Jones may face a suspension for his actions on Jan. 3, and the Bengals do not plan to finalize their decision on Jones returning until a review of all the information surrounding the case concludes, Owczarski reports. The team has yet to make any public comments, other than an apology on Jan. 23, but is considering a potential future without him.

Cutting Jones before June 1 would save the Bengals $6.8MM while costing them $1.3MM in 2017 dead money. Cincinnati’s employed Jones since 2010 and has Dre Kirkpatrick as an impending UFA. But the Bengals still employ two former first-round picks in Darqueze Dennard and William Jackson III. Jones and Kirkpatrick rated as the Bengals’ top corners in 2016 in the opinion of Pro Football Focus, with 2015 fourth-rounder Josh Shaw being tabbed as the team’s No. 3 most productive player there.

Jones faces a felony charge for harassment with a bodily substance, along with misdemeanor charges for assault, disorderly conduct and obstructing police. He will turn 34 in September.

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Josh McCown, who was recently released by the Browns, would endorse the team trading for Jimmy Garoppolo, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes.

“I’ve seen him on tape because we had a common opponent in Miami,” McCown said. “He made some high level throws and did some things that would get you excited about his ability to maybe carry a franchise. That’s definitely on the tape.”

Garoppolo, reportedly, is a leading target of the Browns’ front office this offseason. The 25-year-old made two starts while Tom Brady was suspended last season, completing 43 of 63 pass attempts for 502 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. That’s not a large sample size to go on, but execs around the league have been raving about the youngster for some time now.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

• Will the Ravens ask Dennis Pitta to take a pay cut after a solid season? He was willing to do it last year because he missed an entire season of action, but it’s not clear if he’ll go for a repeat of that after a quality 2016, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. If the Ravens ask him to take a pay cut and he says no, they could gain $3.3MM by releasing him. There’s also $3MM to be saved if they release Benjamin Watson, but Hensley seems to think they’ll exercise patience and see what they have in the veteran.
• Bengals cornerback Adam Jones is getting more time to work on alcohol and anger issues before anything happens with his criminal case, The Associated Press writes. Now, court records show the date for possible grand jury action has been delayed from Friday until March 23. Jones was arrested for three misdemeanors and a felony last month after he assaulted a man, kicked police officers, and spit on a nurse in jail. The Bengals, understandably, are unsure about whether they want him back.
• The Steelers want to re-sign linebacker Lawrence Timmons, though they have higher priorities to assess first.

The Browns will try out Bengals free agent cornerback Adam Jones on Friday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 

Jones, 35 in September, hasn’t been in the news much this offseason, save for his recent Atlanta airport fight (If you missed it, Jones won via knockout). It turns out that a lingering injury has kept him from auditioning for clubs.

“I had groin surgery the week after the Super Bowl,” Jones said in May. “I’m finally 100 percent from that, just got cleared by the doctors. Running full speed. Have been in contact with several teams, I expect it to pick up in the coming weeks.”

Jones was limited to just nine games with the Bengals in 2017, and didn’t fare particularly well in 299 defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus assigned Jones the worst mark (47.1) of his entire career, although he performed relatively better in recent years. Aside from his work on defense, Jones can also be a factor in the kicking game, as he’s posted more than 300 combined kick and punt returns during his NFL tenure.

The Browns’ new look secondary features three new starters – free safety Damarious Randall and cornerbacks T.J. Carrie and Denzel Ward – plus new reserve corners E.J. Gaines and Terrance Mitchell. The Browns have shown a willingness to shake things up, but they have also placed an emphasis on their locker room culture. Given Jones’ off-the-field history, it’s hard to say whether the Browns are serious about signing him.

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The Broncos are signing free agent cornerback Adam Jones after working him out Sunday morning, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com was the first to tweet Jones was auditioning for Denver and was likely to land with the club.

Jones received a one-year deal for the 10-year veteran minimum ($1.015MM), according to Mike Klis of 9News. The pact likely qualifies for the minimum salary benefit, meaning that while Jone will collect his full salary, the Broncos will only see the minimum for a two-year veteran ($630K) hit their salary cap.

Denver is in the market for a third corner after trading Aqib Talib to the Rams earlier this year. While the Broncos project to start Chris Harris and Bradley Roby in their base defense, Harris tends to move to the slot in nickel packages, so Denver needs a cornerback capable of playing the outside on nearly 75% of its defensive plays. Veteran Tramaine Brock is competing for that role, but Jones would give the Broncos another option.

Jones should be familiar with Denver’s defensive scheme, as Broncos head coach Vance Joseph served as the Bengals’ defensive backs coach from 2014-15, guiding Jones and the rest of Cincinnati’s secondary during that time. With the regular season just around the corner, that level of comfort could prove crucial.

The Bengals declined Jones’ 2018 option earlier this year, and he hasn’t drawn much interest since that time, with a July Browns workout representing his only known visit. Jones, 35 next month, was limited to just nine games with the Bengals in 2017, and didn’t fare particularly well on 299 defensive snaps.

Pro Football Focus assigned Jones the worst mark (47.1) of his entire career, although he performed relatively better in recent years. Aside from his work on defense, Jones can also be a factor in the kicking game, as he’s posted more than 300 combined kick and punt returns during his NFL tenure.

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After a promising flash as a rookie, C.J. Prosise has not contributed much to the Seahawks‘ cause. He’s picked up 17 touches since December 2016 and is behind Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and Mike Davis on the Seattle running back depth chart. However, the team is discussing a position change for the third-year back. Pete Carroll said (via Pro Football Talk) his coaching staff is examining a possible Prosise switch to wide receiver, citing his background at the position in college. Prosise was a wideout at Notre Dame before being switched to the backfield. He caught 29 passes for 516 yards in 2014. The Seahawks are down Doug Baldwin for perhaps multiple weeks, and they have just four healthy wide receivers.

Here’s the latest from the West divisions, shifting to a running back who is also quite adept at the receiver role.

• David Johnson is now the NFL’s second-highest-paid running back, holding a substantial lead over the No. 3 player in this hierarchy, and ranks close to the top in terms of fully guaranteed money, too. Johnson’s three-year, $39MM Cardinals extension will come with $24.682MM fully guaranteed at signing, Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweets. Adding in the amount guaranteed for injury increases the deal’s guarantees to $31MM, per Corry, who adds offset language is included in this contract. Johnson’s $24MM-plus full guarantee leads all running backs on veteran contracts, surpassing Todd Gurley‘s $21.9MM in guarantees.
• Martavis Bryant is indeed back with the Raiders, as Jon Gruden suggested he could be. An illness and general inconsistency during camp led to Bryant being a preseason cut, Gruden said (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic, on Twitter). Gruden said the perpetual suspension risk, who may or may not be facing another ban, is more focused and may suit up for the team on Sunday in Denver.
• In addition to the Raiders’ interest in signing top free agent Johnathan Hankins, Gruden said they’re also interested in adding Clinton McDonald, per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Hankins is visiting the Raiders on Wednesday. The Broncos released McDonald after the preseason slate. If signed, McDonald would add yet another 30-something to Gruden’s free agency haul. He’s 31.
• The Raiders are in need of help at defensive tackle because of a Justin Ellis injury. The fifth-year veteran defensive tackle strained ligaments in his foot, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He’s week-to-week, prompting Oakland to pursue outside help.
• Adam Jones signed with the Broncos late in the preseason, appearing to represent an upgrade at punt returner and No. 4 cornerback. However, the 35-year-old defender appears to have usurped Tramaine Brock for the nickel job, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com notes. Brock didn’t fare poorly in the preseason and graded as an upper-echelon corner during his last season of full-time work, with the 2016 49ers, but Jones has more experience in Vance Joseph‘s defense from their time together in Cincinnati. If he’s been demoted, it would mark a second straight season the 30-year-old defender’s resided out of a nickel picture. The Vikings carried Brock as a depth piece in 2017.
• The Rams are going to need a new return man. Pharoh Cooper suffered an ankle injury and will be out for “some time,” Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com notes. Backup return man Michael Thomas is out for a few weeks, Sean McVay said, to prompt Los Angeles to seek alternative options. Cooper served as the Rams’ kick- and punt-return man last season, soaring to All-Pro honors.

The Broncos have released cornerback Adam Jones. The veteran disclosed the news himself on social media and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link) has confirmed the transaction. 

“Well ,Denver it was good,” Jones wrote on Instagram. “Thanks for the opportunity!!!! On to the next.”

Jones, 35, hooked on with the Broncos late in the preseason. At the time, the Broncos saw him as a strong No. 4 cornerback and punt returner, but he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. He’s done after seven games and ten punt returns for just 25 yards in total.

The Bengals declined Jones’ 2018 option earlier this year and he didn’t draw a ton of interest afterwards. Despite his past accomplishments, Jones was limited to just nine games with the Bengals in 2017 and didn’t fare particularly well on 299 defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus assigned Jones the worst mark (47.1) of his entire career, framing him more as a punt returner than a reliable corner.

Given his age and dropoff in performance, this could be the end of the line for Jones in the NFL.

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This is the end of the line for Pacman. On Friday, cornerback Adam Jones took to social media to announce his retirement from football. 

Jones, 35, hooked on with the Broncos late in the 2018 preseason. At the time, the Broncos saw him as a strong No. 4 cornerback and punt returner, but he didn’t quite live up to expectations. After seven games and ten punt returns for just 25 yards in total, the Broncos released him in November. Jones was not on the NFL radar after that, so his retirement does not come as a shock.

Jones legacy may be clouded by his string of off-the-field incidents, but he was a force while on the field in his prime. After being selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2005 draft by the Titans, Jones made some head-turning plays, including three punt return touchdowns in his sophomore year.

Years after being ID’d as a suspect in the now-infamous Atlanta shooting incident, Jones found his second wind with the Bengals. Jones spent eight years in the Bengals’ secondary and put together three straight seasons with three interceptions in each. In 2014, Jones earned his first ever First-Team All-Pro nod and received a Pro Bowl selection in 2015.

Jones leaves the game after 12 NFL seasons (he was out of football for the ’07 and ’09 campaigns), 146 games played, and nearly $40MM in career earnings.

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Two years ago today, the Broncos released cornerback Adam Jones. The veteran disclosed the news himself on social media and vowed to continue his career elsewhere.

“Well ,Denver it was good,” Jones wrote on Instagram. “Thanks for the opportunity!!!! On to the next.”

Jones didn’t realize it at the time, but this would mark the end of his NFL career. The 35-year-old hooked on with the Broncos late in the 2018 preseason to serve as Denver’s punt returner and No. 4 CB. Once a dynamic threat in the return game, he did not live up to expectations. Jones had just 25 total yards off of seven attempts.

Jones was showing obvious signs of decline before his deal with Denver. When the Bengals turned his 2018 option, few teams considered him. Jones was limited to just nine games with the Bengals in 2017 and didn’t fare particularly well on 299 defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus assigned Jones the worst mark (47.1) of his entire career, framing him more as a punt returner than a reliable corner.

Jones legacy may be clouded by his string of off-the-field incidents, but he was a force in his prime. After being selected by the Titans with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2005 draft, Jones offered up a series of head-turning highlights, including three punt return touchdowns in his second pro year.

Years after being ID’d as a suspect in the now-infamous Atlanta incident, Jones found his second wind with the Bengals. Jones spent eight years in the Bengals’ secondary and put together three straight seasons with three interceptions in each. In 2014, Jones earned his first ever First-Team All-Pro nod and received a Pro Bowl selection in 2015. Jones achieved a great deal throughout his tumultuous career, but his 2018 release proved that he could no longer outrun Father Time.

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On this date in 2018, the Broncos released cornerback Adam Jones. As the veteran broke the news himself on social media, he vowed to continue his career elsewhere.

“Well, Denver, it was good,” Jones wrote on Instagram. “Thanks for the opportunity!!!! On to the next.”

Jones didn’t realize it at the time, but this pretty much marked the end of his NFL career. Jones, 35 at the time, hooked on with the Broncos that summer to serve as their punt returner and No. 4 CB. Once a dynamic threat in the return game, he did not live up to expectations. Jones had just 25 total yards off of seven attempts.

Jones was showing obvious signs of decline before his Denver deal — few teams considered him before the Bengals rejected his option for 2018. The veteran was limited to just nine games with the Bengals in 2017 and didn’t fare particularly well on his 299 defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus assigned Jones the worst mark (47.1) of his entire career that year, indicating that he was more of a return man than a reliable corner.

Jones’ legacy may be clouded by his string of off-the-field incidents, but he was a force in his prime. After being selected by the Titans with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2005 draft, Jones offered up a series of head-turning highlights, including three punt return touchdowns in his second pro year.

Years after being ID’d as a suspect in the now-infamous Atlanta incident, Jones found his second wind with the Bengals. Jones spent eight years in the Bengals’ secondary and put together three straight seasons with three interceptions in each. In 2014, Jones earned his first ever First-Team All-Pro nod and received a Pro Bowl selection in 2015. He achieved a great deal throughout his tumultuous career, but his 2018 release proved that he could no longer outrun Father Time.