Jaguars launch receiver Zay Jones and kicker Joey Slye

• Michael DiRocco, ESPN staff writerApril 30, 2024, 10:28 a.m. ET

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  Michael DiRocco is an NFL reporter for ESPN. DiRocco covers the Jacksonville Jaguars. He previously covered the University of Florida for ESPN.com and the Florida Times-Union for over a decade. DiRocco graduated from Jacksonville University and is a multiple APSE award winner. You can follow DiRocco on Twitter at @ESPNdirocco.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars released receiver Zay Jones on Tuesday morning, less than a week after drafting a receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft.

The Jaguars will save $4.49 million against the salary cap by releasing Jones, who signed a three-year contract with the team in March 2022. His release was among a list of moves the team made Tuesday, including releasing kicker Joey Slye.

The Jaguars selected LSU receiver Brian Thomas Jr. 23rd on Thursday. Thomas led FBS with 17 touchdown catches in 2023. Additionally, veteran receiver Jarvis Landry, a five-time Pro Bowl player who did not play in the NFL last season, will participate in the Jaguars' rookie minicamp on May 10 and 11 on a tryout basis.

Jones caught 116 passes for 1,144 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons with the Jaguars, including career highs in receptions (82) and receiving yards (823) in 2022. Jones missed eight games in 2023 due to a lingering knee injury that he suffered early on had in the season.

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Jones was arrested in November and charged with domestic violence after an argument with the mother of his child allegedly resulted in a neck injury, according to an arrest and booking report. The Florida Attorney General's Office announced in March that it would not pursue charges against Jones and the case was dropped.

Jones, 29, was a second-round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2017 and caught 90 passes for 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns in 36 games with the Bills. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders in October 2019 and caught 81 passes for 847 yards and two touchdowns in 43 games with the Raiders.

Jones signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Jaguars in March 2022 with $14 million guaranteed.

Slye signed a one-year, $1.29 million contract with $25,000 guaranteed in March. The Jaguars drafted Arkansas kicker Cam Little in the sixth round on Saturday. Experienced kicker Riley Patterson remains on the roster.

The Jaguars also announced Tuesday that they had agreed to terms with 13 undrafted free agents.