NASHVILLE – Titans receivers coach Rob Moore has tutored some pretty notable receivers in his day, from Amari Cooper to Michael Crabtree to Sammy Watkins.
Until recently, Moore only witnessed seven-time Pro Bowler Julio Jones from afar.
But that all changed when the Titans traded with the Falcons for Jones, putting him under the watchful eyes of Moore.
"Without question, I think his resume speaks for itself," Moore said of Jones. "He's had a great career thus far, and I'm quite sure it's something he plans on continuing. … He brings a player to (the Titans) who has made big plays and played in big-game situations. He brings size, speed, range – all of the things you want in a playmaker.
"I am just looking forward to being able to step on the field (and coach) somebody like that. And you understand the problem that it causes defenses. At the end of the day, that is what it boils down for me is: 'How do we best utilize Julio's skill set and everything he brings?' Having him and A.J. (Brown) on the field at the same time … and then you add Derrick Henry to the mix and some of these other guys, that is one of the things I am looking forward to the most, to see how it looks on Sundays when it counts."
A 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, Jones has 12,896 receiving yards and 60 touchdowns in his 10-year career, on 848 catches. He's caught over 100 passes in three of his seasons, and he had at least 80 catches and 1,300 yards in every year from 2014-19, with an average of 104 receptions for 1,565 yards during that time period.
Last week, Jones practiced with the Titans for the first time in organized team activities. He'll be back on the field on Tuesday during the team's minicamp at Saint Thomas Sports Park.
"I tried not to have any first impressions," Moore said of Jones and his first day. "I just wanted to kind of see who walked through the door. I was really impressed. He was eager to get started and wanted to know how we do things. He is looking forward to being a part of that."
Moore played 12 years as a wide receiver in the NFL after being selected by the New York Jets in the first round of the 1990 Supplemental Draft. He spent five seasons with New York Jets (1990-94) and seven years with the Arizona Cardinals (1995-2001). His career totals included 153 games, 146 starts, 628 receptions, 9,368 receiving yards and 49 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl following the 1994 and 1997 campaigns, the latter of which he led the NFL with 1,584 receiving yards en route to being named All-Pro.
Moore joined the Titans as receivers coach in 2018 after previous NFL coaching stops with the Raiders (2015-17) and Bills (2014).
He knows the Titans have a unique talent in Jones.
"I think the thing that jumps right out to you is his length, his size and the power that he has – he has some explosiveness, and his ability to snap down out of the break for a guy who is long and has really good power control," Moore said of Jones. "It is pretty easy to put two and two together and realize why this guy has been a great player for so long."
Moore said Jones can also serve as a great example for some of the team's young receivers, while also being a mentor for third-year receiver A.J. Brown.
Brown was named a Pro Bowler in 2020 after his second straight 1,000-yard season. In two NFL seasons, Brown has 2,126 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns.
"I think (Julio and A.J.) will help each other out a great deal," Moore said. "And at the end of the day it is really about getting both of those guys to play at an extremely high level, so we can take advantage of some of those opportunities. I think if we develop and continue to put the work in that is going to be necessary, I think they can be a formidable tandem throughout this league."
