Desperate for a lift from their special teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers added a former nemesis on Thursday.
The team claimed former Baltimore Ravens kick returner Jacoby Jones, who was recently waived by the San Diego Chargers.
The nine-year veteran has been a dangerous kick and punt returner in the past. Jones has totaled 10,184 all-purpose yards and 23 touchdowns (14 receiving, five kickoff and four punt return) in 124 regular-season games with 33 starts.
Jones was s a third-round (73rd overall) draft choice of the Houston Texans in 2007, and spent his first five (2007-11) years in the NFL with Houston before three years with the Baltimore Ravens (2011-14). He spent the first eight weeks of this season with San Diego.
He was a Super Bowl hero in Baltimore just 33 months ago, but Steelers fans shouldn’t get too excited as Jones hasn’t been the same game-changer for the last two seasons.
This year, Jones averaged only 21.4 yards on kickoffs, which is his lowest total since his rookie season of 2007, and totaled minus-4 yards on punt returns. On Sunday, he let a punt bounce past him to the Chargers’ three-yard line, which eventually led to the Ravens’ go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. That ultimately led to his release from San Diego.
Hopefully Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will stay out of Jones’ way on kick returns as Tomlin got into some heat with the league for stepping onto the field during a Jones return against the Steelers a couple of years back.
To create a roster spot for Jones, the Steelers released running back Dri Archer.
Archer, a 2014 third-round pick, has been nothing short of a bust in a Steelers uniform.
Photo Credit: USA Today Sports
