Lions Rumors: Marvin Jones Jr. Agrees to 1-Year, $3M Contract for 2023 Season | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Some of the best years of Marvin Jones Jr.'s career came with the Detroit Lions, and he is returning to the NFC North team after spending the last two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars:

Marvin Jones Jr @MarvinJonesJr

BACK &amp; IM STILL BUZZIN!!! BZN "#"?? <a href="">

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the deal is for one year and $3 million, although incentives can make it worth as much as $5 million.

The wide receiver entered the league as a fifth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012 and spent his first four years with them.

Detroit then signed him ahead of the 2016 season following the retirement of Calvin Johnson, and he quickly established himself as a go-to option in the offense. Jones posted 930 receiving yards in his first season with the Lions and then followed that up with 1,101 receiving yards, a league-best 18 yards per catch and nine touchdown receptions during the 2017 campaign.

Injuries limited him some from there, but he still managed a combined 18 touchdown catches in his final two seasons with the Lions in 2019 and 2020.

Jones' 2017 effort in Detroit remains the only season of his career when he surpassed 1,000 yards, although he has seven with more than 700, including in 2021 with Jacksonville. He was overshadowed by Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram this past season with the Jaguars and finished with 529 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Things are different with the Lions than his first time with the team.

They made the playoffs just once and finished in last place in the NFC North three times in his five seasons. Yet it is postseason-or-bust for Detroit in 2023 after going 9-8 and just missing out in 2022.

Jones helps address the need for reliable secondary receiving options outside Amon-Ra St. Brown. Jameson Williams figures to take a significant leap now that he is healthy and entering his second season, but he remains an unknown.

Aaron Rodgers is also likely exiting the NFC North, and the defense could take strides with Aidan Hutchinson leading the way.

There is plenty of optimism in Detroit, and the addition of a familiar face in Jones will do nothing to quell it. He should see plenty of opportunities with opposing defenses worried about St. Brown, running back David Montgomery and Williams, and he can be a safety valve for quarterback Jared Goff.

Anything less than a playoff appearance would be a disappointment for the team.