Detroit Lost Calvin Johnson and Replaced Him With Marvin Jones – Has it Worked?

Detroit Lions fans and everyone in the NFL were shocked to hear the news that Calvin Johnson was retiring early at the end of the season last year at the age of 30. Detroit needed some help and they looked to wide receiver Marvin Jones from the Cincinnati Bengals – and it has paid off so far. Matthew Stafford still has a solid deep threat option in Marvin Jones and Detroit still has an offense without Calvin Johnson, something many thought wouldn’t happen.

How Has Marvin Jones Been?

Marvin Jones has proved his worth and warranted his contract so far this season. He is currently in seventh place in the NFL in receiving yards with 529 and tied for fifth in touchdowns with four. While Jones had a quiet week six game against the Rams, ending with two catches for 10 yards and a touchdown, he has been better than he ever was with the Bengals.

His rookie year he ended with 201 yards and a touchdown. Then he increased his performance in 2013 with 712 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season. His missed all of 2014 with an ankle injury and came back in 2015 with a 816 yard season with four touchdowns. So far he has his third best year in yards and is tied for his second best year in touchdowns. He is on pace for a career year with 1,411 yards and 11 touchdowns.

While with the Bengals, he was well respected as a receiver but he still wasn’t getting the attention he deserved. Now in Detroit he is a true number one receiver, beating out Golden Tate. Now while Golden Tate is still a good wide receiver, after only having one good game this year it seems that instead of Marvin Jones being 1A and Golden Tate being 1B, it seems Tate has taken the back seat as the number two receiver once again in Detroit.

Compared to Calvin, Jones is Better

Now, there is no way that Marvin Jones is better than Calvin Johnson. Johnson is a hall of fame wide receiver who will go down as one of the greats. Also, it is not impossible for Jones to become a hall of fame wide receiver; if he can continue to impress with big numbers he could be on his way.

Jones, as stated above, already has 529 yards and four touchdowns so far this year. Looking back at 2015 through six games, Johnson had 488 yards and two touchdowns. 2014 he had 348 yards and two touchdowns. 2013 he had 337 yards and four touchdowns and finally in his best year ever in 2012, he had 592 yards and one touchdown.

Now, take that for what you will, but Jones has been doing better than Megatron did in his final three years with the team. Detroit is still doing fine in the passing game and you can say thanks to Marvin Jones for just that.

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