Jaguars part ways with wideout Jones
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars released veteran receiver Zay Jones on Tuesday, dumping him five days after drafting LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. with the 23rd overall pick and a day after agreeing to bring fivetime Pro Bowler Jarvis Landry in for rookie minicamp.
Jones was scheduled to count nearly $10.8 million against the salary cap in 2024, a significant payout for someone expected to be the team’s fourth receiver at best. Jacksonville will eat $6.6 million in dead money to save $4.2 million this season.
Jones, who has 3,028 career receiving yards and 18 touchdowns in seven years with Buffalo, Oakland/Las Vegas and Jacksonville, missed eight games last season with knee and hamstring injuries. He also was arrested on a domestic violence charge that was ultimately dropped.
He was entering the final year of a three-year, $24 million contract that included $14 million guaranteed.
The Jaguars could use the cap savings to sign Landry, who is looking to get back into the league after sitting out 2023.
Browns keeping Newsome in fold
The Cleveland Browns picked up the fifth-year option on cornerback Greg Newsome II’s rookie contract on Tuesday, and the former first-round pick is scheduled to make $13.3 million in 2025.
Newsome had been mentioned in trade rumors for months and they increased leading into the NFL draft last weekend. But the Browns exercised the option ahead of Thursday’s 4 p.m. deadline.
The Browns also added depth on the offensive line on Tuesday, agreeing to a free agent contract with former Rams center Brian Allen.
Ratings plummet on draft’s Day 2
After posting strong numbers for the first round, viewership for the NFL draft was down 3% from last year on TV and digital platforms.
The draft averaged 5.74 million viewers for the three days this year across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL Network after averaging 5.93 million in 2023 according to the league and Nielsen.
The first round, where six quarterbacks were selected, averaged 12.1 million viewers, a 6% increase over last year. It was the highest day one viewership since 2021, when there was an average audience of 12.6 million. The last two days saw a drop-off though, with a dearth of compelling storylines.
The league and Nielsen said 53.6 million tuned at some point over the three days to watch the draft festivities from Detroit.
Odds and ends
The Raiders expect to sign former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup to a one-year contract worth up to $3 million, pending a physical, a person with knowledge of the contract said Monday . ... The Chiefs signed Travis Kelce to a new two-year, $34.25 million contract on Monday, wrapping up their star tight end as they attempt to win an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl.