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Cincinnati Bengals: The forgotten wide receiver?

By Ryan Ratty

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Marvin Jones will be returning to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2015. That means Andy Dalton and the offense will get back a player that excels at scoring touchdowns.

Unfortunately, in any type of sport, an injury can greatly alter a player’s progression. In the NFL, especially, where hitting happens almost every second, players are more prone to injury. In the 2014 NFL season, the Cincinnati Bengals dealt with the injury bug heavily on the offensive side of the ball.

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In 2013, Marvin Jones flourished for the Bengals. He finished the season with 10 touchdowns and only five receivers in the NFL scored more than Jones that season – including teammate

A.J. Green

. That was Jones’ second year in the league and he was not only bursting onto the scene and emerging as the No. 2 receiver on the Bengals, but he was making things much easier for Andy Dalton and the offense.

Nov 6, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) lines up for a play during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

When the Bengals drafted Jones in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, they were getting a guy that had the ability to play both inside and outside. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Jones has excellent size to go up and bring down the football. He also has the speed and intelligence to make plays in the middle of the field from the spout position.

After such an excellent season in 2013, many thought, with the wide receiver trio of Green, Jones, and Mohamed Sanu, that the Bengals would take the next step as an offense. However, in Week 5, the Bengals placed Jones on injured reserve because of a foot injury and he did not play a game in 2014.

With a new season, Jones will be back to full health and according to Bengals’ beat writer Paul Dehner Jr., there are no limitations for the fourth-year product in offseason programs.

While many people do knock on Dalton, and a case can be made there given his lack of consistency and his ability in the playoffs, it should be said that he was without two big contributors in Dalton and 2013 first-round pick Tyler Eifert for the majority of the season.

For whatever the reason is, people are forgetting about Jones and his ability to score touchdowns. That being said, people always say that the Bengals need help across from Green. By getting Jones back, the Bengals have that guy who can make defenses account for both sides of the field.

August 15, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Denarius Moore (17) during the second quarter against the Detroit Lions at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Lions 27-26. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Over the offseason, the Bengals added Denarius Moore and while his best days are behind him, he’s still a quality receiver that can be another weapon for Dalton and the offense. With skill players in Green, Jones, Sanu, Moore, Eifert, and Brandon Tate, the Bengals have some talent to work with.

If their defense plays like it has been over the past few years and Dalton can make the best use of the receivers around him and the Bengals’ running game, consisting of a mix dosage with Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if the Bengals not only won the AFC North but a playoff game as well (something the franchise hasn’t done since 1990). That’s how important Jones is to this offense and to this team as a whole.

Next: Cincinnati Bengals: QB Depth Chart

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