Zay Jones finding 'new level' with Jaguars, looks to make impact against Steelers on Saturday

The Jacksonville Jaguars will have plenty to prove as they get set to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at home Saturday at 7 p.m.

The game will be broadcast locally on WFOX. It's the second game in a row that will take place at TIAA Bank Field. It's also the second opportunity for the team's starters to gain some chemistry, particularly on offense, as it works through the kinks under head coach Doug Pederson.

The matchup should be plenty competitive with the Steelers also playing some starters Saturday, including quarterbacks Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph and rookie QB Kenny Pickett, selected in the first round of this year's draft by Pittsburgh.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said on Thursday all three QBs will get some work with Trubisky getting the starting nod. Pickett will likely get in on the action shortly thereafter.

More from the Jaguars:

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• Nearly finished: Jaguars vs. Steelers: What to expect, how to watch in final preseason game at TIAA Bank Field

• Goodbye Episcopal: Jaguars training camp takes: Farewell to Episcopal's Knight Campus and the Dog Days of camp

Heading into the contest, it's unknown exactly how many of Pittsburgh's starters will play, but you can expect some, if not most of the front-line to see some action based on the quarterback situation.

"I definitely want to see the starters go into the second quarter again this week," Pederson said Wednesday, the final day the team met for training camp at the Episcopal School of Jacksonville's Knight Campus. "The defense needs to be on the field a little bit more. They’ve played well the first two games, they just haven’t played enough."

Zay Jones looking to shine

One expected starter looking to make an impact is wide receiver Zay Jones, who has caught fire as of late during camp as one of the team's better offensive weapons.

Jones, 27, signed with the team as an unrestricted free agent in March, inking a reported three-year deal worth $24 million with $14 million guaranteed.

Upon his signing, plenty of observers were questioning the value of his contract, which made sense considering Jones' best season came in 2018 when he was a member of the Buffalo Bills, catching 56 passes for 652 yards and seven touchdowns.

Since then, Jones has played for just one other team, the Las Vegas Raiders, catching 81 passes for 847 yards and two touchdowns. He caught 47 passes for 546 yards and one touchdown.

Simply put, Jones hasn't proven a ton when it comes to consistent production in the league. Yet, he's proven a lot to Jaguars coaches and quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

"He's got a lot of flexibility," Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor said about Jones on Monday. "The other night we actually played him in the slot more than he has been. We told him the day before, hey, Christian is not going to go; we're going to move you in here. He said, 'all right, great.' He knew everything without missing a beat."

Jones was the target on the team's first throw of the day last Thursday as the team took on the Cleveland Browns. The toss from Lawrence went for 32 yards, a nice play right out of the gate to get the team's offense rolling. He finished the contest with two receptions for 47 yards.

That play, Taylor said, wasn't even something the team had never practiced at full speed before.

"Normally in a week you'd get that play five, six, seven times, work it out. We kind of just said, hey, we want to do this. They both, Trevor and Zay, were like, 'we haven't really thrown that,' and we're like, 'well, let's get it in pregame,'" said Taylor. "You don't have to run it but I want to see the throw and we'll call it good. They went out and were able to execute."

Jones, Lawrence develop bond

It's no surprise Jones was one of the receivers to develop the most chemistry with Lawrence over the summer. He's consistently seen at practice talking with Lawrence about the different types of route patterns, and has spent the most time on the field with him along with receivers Christian Kirk and Marvin Jones, both running with the first-team offense throughout all of camp.

Another aspect of building chemistry comes from spending time and bonding away from the game, at least that's how Jones views it.

"I think is really important," Jones told the Florida Times-Union on Monday when asked about spending time away from the game with teammates. Understanding his teammates backstory is incredibly important, he said. It allows Jones to understand the player or person better, knowing what they went through.

"So now we have a different bond and relationship because I feel like I know you more now, I'm playing for more purpose," he said.

That type of connection is vital for growth for any profession, but especially one that includes teamwork like the game of football. There is not much room for staying away from each other, it'll only make for a terrible result.

"So when you don't bond with your teammates, it's kind of like that lunch pail, I'll just go to work and leave, and it's just like, what are we really doing?" he said.

Jones has taken to that relationship-building mentality, and Lawrence has been a key aspect of doing that.

According to Jones, Lawrence and his wife Marissa will invite him over to their house on occasion. They'll play games, joke around, eat food, anything that deals with simply having fun, developing a relationship and making genuine connections.

Lawrence has done plenty to grow with his teammates, including taking the entire receiver room out to the Bahamas in the offseason just before training camp starting on July 25.

It's part of why Jones thinks so highly of Lawrence, the second-year signal caller out of Clemson.

"[Lawrence is] really bringing this team together. So that's why I say no one wants to win as much as he does," Jones said. "The guy is used to winning. This organization, or organization, our leaders, they want to win. I'm just blessed to be a part of it."

Jones has become a valuable member of the Jacksonville offense. Through his eyes, he can see himself and the offense coming together as a whole, players understanding spacing better, Lawrence delivering the ball well. Everything is starting to come together.

"I think you can see that in the likes of, when it goes to Evan [Engram], Christian [Kirk] in practice, myself, Chris [Manhertz]. He found Chris on a beautiful in cut the other day, I thought," said Jones. "Delivered a really, really phenomenal football. So, I think we're beginning to see and Trevor really step into his own."

There's some lofty expectations for the Jaguars' signal-caller this year, and Jones will be a major part of the question, whether he is successful or not. In a new offense this year under Pederson, Taylor and wide receivers coach Chris Jackson.

"I think they're very intelligent, very meticulous and detailed," Jones said of the coaching staff. "I think that they have allowed myself a little bit of freedom within the confines of what we're doing in our system."

Still, though he respects the coaching staff, Jones does give some credit to himself, taking ownership of where he feels his game is at. He says he is already opening up his route tree, understanding his progressions, when he needs to be open, how he needs to be open, along with a litany of other aspects other aspects of his game.

"I really feel like I'm tapping into a really, really positive new level in my game, which I'm very, very happy and proud of," he said.

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @Demetrius82.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars WR Zay Jones continues to shine, Pittsburgh Steelers up next