The Buffalo Bills are trading wide receiver Zay Jones to the Raiders for a 2021 fifth-round pick, sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.
Jones, 24, was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft out of East Carolina. He led the team in all major receiving categories in 2018 but he failed to make an impact in 2019 after the team signed receivers John Brown and Cole Beasley during the offseason.
His 69 yards on seven catches this season ranks fifth on the team, and his receptions per game, yards per reception, yards per game and targets per game are all career-lows for the former second-round pick.
Buffalo called up practice squad receiver Duke Williams in Week 5 and immediately inserted him into Jones’ role. Williams outsnapped Jones 51-1 against the Titans on Sunday, catching four passes for 29 yards and the game-winning touchdown.
While Bills coach Sean McDermott said he wanted to temper the expectations for Williams after the game, the trade suggests the Bills are prepared to move forward with Williams in his current role.
ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques contributed to this report.