Matt Jones

[jbcarol]

"I'm a basketball player I can make a couple moves," Jones said.

Said receivers coach Mike Sheppard of Jones: "He worked hard to get yards after catch and did a good job. He's earned a little more opportunity and now that he's seemingly back to good health he can get there."

In the early battle for the sixth and final receiving position, Jones emerged as the early leader...

"Matt ran some real good routes," Palmer said. He's really easy to throw to because you can throw it anywhere."

Jones status early in the week was doubtful when he missed practices due to a bruise to the fifth metatarsal. But after being put in a boot for a couple days by the trainers, Jones was ready to go late in the week.

With practices resuming today in Georgetown, Jones knows that there is still a long road ahead with four preseason games remaining, including Sunday night at Paul Brown Stadium against Denver.

"I can play this game. I've been a number one receiver on a team and led the team two different times in yards and catches," Jones said. "I know what to do. It's just about getting into summer workouts and getting rust off and keeping it going."

Bengal beat writer Joe Reedy with more...

[alohawg]

Tough crowd there on the Bengals forum   Matt has to just making the most out of every opportunity.

[hvsupastar]

After reading his confidence and seeing his performance Sunday, I believe there is no question Matt will be in the nfl for years to come. Maybe not with cincy, but there are plenty of teams that could pick him up.

[whiskeyNwater2.0]

it is comical to read all the experts on here. Sunday night was all Matt needed which is the chance to show he can still run and catch. Now he will get reps against the 1's and 2's and he will run and catch against them as well. Matt is in the best shape of his life and he will 100% either make the team, be traded to another NFL team or he will be picked up.

In terms of the Tennessee Titans, he didn't spurn,jilt or anything like that. The TItans flirted with Matt for 8 months. Dowell kept saying we are going to offer you a contract tomorrow. THis was said 3 different times. They didn't offer Matt a contract until Matt was sitting in XNA waiting to board his flight to Cincy to workout for them. Even then he told Jeff Fisher on the phone, "Ok coach, I will cancel my trip to Cincinatti." Fisher told Matt to go on and go to Cincinatti and workout but don't sign anything. He said that they still had to draw up the contract and he for sure had a spot on the Titans. Well Matt thought that was strange that his new boss Jeff Fisher would want him to go to another interview but he said ok coach. Matt goes to Cincinatti and works out. He comes back and the Titans offer a formal contract. The Bengals immediately offer a contract as well and structures it iwhere f he makes the final 53 man roster his entire salary is guranteed.

THe way the NFL works is your salary is paiid over the 17 weeks of the NFL football season. So if his salary is $700,000 he is paid roughly $47K per week of the NFL football season.

So you tell me what you would do

Titans offer you a 1 year contract for $700K
Major Stipulation
-if Matt is hurt or cut before week 3 he can be waived/released and is due no additional money. So if he plays in the first 2 games and is hurt or cut the Titans only have to pay him $94,000 and he is due nothing more

Bengals offer you a 1 year contract for $700K
no stipulations
once Matt makes the final 53 man roster on Sept 4th the full $700K is guranteed.

Only a complete idiot would have chosen the Titans in that situation where his contract was basically week to week, especially when you go to the Titans and say "if you will offer me the same deal as the Bengals I will sign with you" and they say no. Matt did everything he could to play for the Titans. THey have absolutely zero reason to have any ill feeling toward Matt Jones

[threeNout]

Sunday night was all Matt needed which is the chance to show he can still run and catch. Now he will get reps against the 1's and 2's and he will run and catch against them as well.

Yea, if it comes down to how Matt performs on the field, against anyone, then I'm not worried, that has never been an issue.

[EastexHawg]

it is comical to read all the experts on here. Sunday night was all Matt needed which is the chance to show he can still run and catch. Now he will get reps against the 1's and 2's and he will run and catch against them as well. Matt is in the best shape of his life and he will 100% either make the team, be traded to another NFL team or he will be picked up.

In terms of the Tennessee Titans, he didn't spurn,jilt or anything like that. The TItans flirted with Matt for 8 months. Dowell kept saying we are going to offer you a contract tomorrow. THis was said 3 different times. They didn't offer Matt a contract until Matt was sitting in XNA waiting to board his flight to Cincy to workout for them. Even then he told Jeff Fisher on the phone, "Ok coach, I will cancel my trip to Cincinatti." Fisher told Matt to go on and go to Cincinatti and workout but don't sign anything. He said that they still had to draw up the contract and he for sure had a spot on the Titans. Well Matt thought that was strange that his new boss Jeff Fisher would want him to go to another interview but he said ok coach. Matt goes to Cincinatti and works out. He comes back and the Titans offer a formal contract. The Bengals immediately offer a contract as well and structures it iwhere f he makes the final 53 man roster his entire salary is guranteed.

THe way the NFL works is your salary is paiid over the 17 weeks of the NFL football season. So if his salary is $700,000 he is paid roughly $47K per week of the NFL football season.

So you tell me what you would do

Titans offer you a 1 year contract for $700K
Major Stipulation
-if Matt is hurt or cut before week 3 he can be waived/released and is due no additional money. So if he plays in the first 2 games and is hurt or cut the Titans only have to pay him $94,000 and he is due nothing more

Bengals offer you a 1 year contract for $700K
no stipulations
once Matt makes the final 53 man roster on Sept 4th the full $700K is guranteed.

Only a complete idiot would have chosen the Titans in that situation where his contract was basically week to week, especially when you go to the Titans and say "if you will offer me the same deal as the Bengals I will sign with you" and they say no. Matt did everything he could to play for the Titans. THey have absolutely zero reason to have any ill feeling toward Matt Jones

Thank you.  It's good to hear from someone who is actually familiar with what happened and knows of what he speaks.