Report: James Jones to Test Free Agency

According to an article on NFL.com, the Green Bay Packers plan to part ways with impending free agent James Jones and allow him to test the open market. Green Bay has plenty of cap space, but odds are that they will be using much of it to shore up the defense. Furthermore, with the emergence of Jarrett Boykin last season makes Jones somewhat expendable. Boykin, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb makes for a fairly impressive receiver group, and it appears that Jones is the odd man out.

James Jones isn't a true number one receiver, but he is a very solid player with an extensive route tree and the ability to line up at multiple positions. At 30, he still has a few years left and would provide a nice veteran presence to help further the development of the younger guys. He is somewhat injury prone, but you can't knock his toughness; Jones finished the 2013 season with broken ribs and played through the pain. Jones is also an underrated red zone threat, something New England sorely missed last year.

The Patriots are likely to bring in at least one veteran receiver this offseason, and Jones could make for a very nice addition to the roster. Furthermore, the 2014 NFL Draft is very deep at receiver and there are to be a fair amount of receivers available via free agency, which means that the Pats may be able to get Jones without breaking the bank. The only real issue is that Jones is sure to draw attention from multiple teams, and he's likely to get offered a bigger contract elsewhere.

Obviously, locking up Julian Edelman should remain the priority, but if Jones is available and isn't going to command a huge salary, I think that he'd be a great fit.