Titans Add Kick Returner Mark Jones

By Jonathan Hutton March 18, 2009

Team officials have confirmed the Titans have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract with Mark Jones, an unrestricted free agent wide receiver and return specialist from the Carolina Panthers.

Jones became the clear favorite to take over the return duties after Chris Carr signed with Baltimore and Justin Miller, who visited the Titans earlier this month, re-signed with the Oakland Raiders.

Jones, a former Tennessee Volunteer, has five previous years of NFL experience, including one season with the New York Giants (2004), three campaigns with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005-07) and one with the Panthers (2008). He also spent training camp in 2008 with the San Diego Chargers.

The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Jones has played in 59 career regular season games. His statistics include 156 punt returns for 1,460 yards, an average of 9.4 yards per attempt, and he also boasts a 24.2-yard average on 58 career kickoff returns.

In 2008, his 11.4-yard punt return average ranked third in the NFC and seventh in the NFL, and his kickoff return average of 24.0 yards was the best by a Panthers returner since 2001 (Steve Smith).  Additionally, Jones posted the first two receptions of his career for a total of 32 yards.

At the University of Tennessee, Jones played wide receiver and safety in addition to his return duties.  In 49 games, he caught 36 passes for 556 yards and five touchdowns on offense and added four interceptions on defense.  In the return game, he collected 46 punt returns for 543 yards (11.8 avg.) and four kickoff returns for 138 yards with one touchdown.

The 28-year-old Jones, a native of Wallingford, Pa., was originally selected by the Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft.