Buffalo Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane answered questions from the media last week about a bizarre incident involving the team’s second-year wide out, Zay Jones. TMZ first reported news of the episode in late March releasing video footage of a nude and bloody Jones yelling and being restrained by his brother, Cayleb Jones of the Minnesota Vikings, in a Los Angeles penthouse.
When asked if he was satisfied with the current situation, McDermott responded.
“Yeah, we did have some communication with Zay when we got back and to this point, we are satisfied with where that is,” McDermott responded when asked if he was satisfied with the current situation. “The biggest thing right now is where we go moving forward and how we handle our business moving forward. Listen, people go through situations and, like I said before, I was disappointed. The biggest thing is that we were able to talk about it and come to a point where we all agree we need to move forward. I’m excited about the future for Zay.”
Jones was arrested on felony vandalism charges for breaking glass and windows with bail set at $20,000, however, all charges were subsequently dropped. The receiver was treated at the USC Medical Center and later tweeted about being thankful for his life. Jones has since returned to team workouts, a positive sign for Buffalo.
Good to see #Bills WR Zay Jones back at the facility, hopefully with everything behind him. pic.twitter.com/m2MfnAPiS6
— Josh Reed (@4JoshReed) April 16, 2018
Jones reeled in just 27 catches for 316 yards and 2 touchdowns while averaging 11.7 yards per catch through 15 games in his rookie season a year ago. Following his sluggish start to the year, he began to show promise between Weeks 8 and 10 where he racked up 13 receptions, 154 yards, and both of his touchdowns. However, he finished the season on a low note, recording a dismal 47 yards on 4 catches through his last 5 games.
Jones was picked in the second round of last year’s draft after achieving the NCAA single-season record for most receptions (158) and all-time receptions (399) at East Carolina. Selected as a fourth-year senior with a reputation as a good teammate, it is evident he fit McDermott’s disciplinary style. The Bills are desperate at the receiving position and hope the head coach’s sustained confidence in Jones is legitimately founded as his performance will be crucial for improving the team’s bottom-dwelling passing game.