Tennessee Titans insider Terry McCormick spoke to Pewter Report back in May when we hinted that the Bucs were interested in possibly signing wide receiver Julio Jones. McCormick, who has covered the Titans since 1997 for Titans Insider, discussed Jones’ lone season in Tennessee and what he could offer the Buccaneers.

“At this stage, he is probably a role player – a No. 2 or 3 receiver,” McCormick said. “He can still catch the ball in traffic and even make the spectacular catch. He’s not as fast anymore, so the YAC (yards after catch) might not be there. The biggest issue with Jones now is his health. His hamstring has plagued him for two years now. In a limited role, he can be effective, but I wouldn’t expect a 70-catch season from him just because of injury issues.”

Jones, who will wear No. 85 with the Bucs, joins a Tampa Bay receiving corps that already features three starters. Pro Bowlers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and newly signed Russell Gage top the depth chart. Gage and Jones played together in Atlanta. Jones will likely assume the fourth receiver role on the depth chart.

Bucs WR Julio Jones – Photo by: USA Today

Last year, the Titans traded a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-rounder to the Falcons for Jones and a sixth-round pick in 2021. Unfortunately for Tennessee, the move didn’t pan out. Jones had hamstring issues in his final season in Atlanta that allowed him to only play in nine games. Jones re-injured his hamstring in Tennessee, limiting him to 10 games. He caught 31 catches on 48 targets for 434 yards (14 avg.) and one touchdown.

The Titans cut Jones this offseason to create $9.5 million worth of cap space. On Wednesday the Bucs signed Jones to a one-year deal worth $6 million in base salary. He can earn up to $2 million in bonus money, through unlikely to be earned incentives.

With Godwin not practicing at the start of training camp, the Bucs need a few bodies practicing inside in the slot. Jones has the ability to play inside and out. And at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, he has enough size to be an effective blocker.

“He could do some things in the slot as well as outside,” McCormick said. “His route running was good enough for the slot, as well as outside. For little bursts, he was very good and still explosive, but just couldn’t do it as consistently as they needed him to for the money they were paying. Titans never complained about him as a run blocker. He did okay at it, but A.J. Brown and Nick Westbrook were both better at run blocking than Julio was.”