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Jacksonville Jaguars WR Matt Jones was loaded with potential - height (6'5"), speed (4.37 40 at Combine) and leaping ability (39" vertical jump) - when he entered the NFL.

After three years of mediocre performance (2005-2007) and getting busted for felony cocaine possession last summer, it seemed like Jones was getting his life (or, at least, his football career) back on track.

He had his best season in 2008 despite serving a 3-game suspension. Jones led the Jaguars with 65 receptions and 761 yards in 12 games. If he maintained that pace for a full 16-game season, he would have finished with 86 receptions and 1015 yards.

Jones, who is in a drug intervention program as a result of the charges for felony cocaine possession, wasn't supposed to use any substances including alcohol as part of the program. He was booked tonight at 6:21 p.m. for possession of a controlled substance after failing a random alcohol test on February 27th, which violates the terms of his probation.

“He came to court and admitted to Judge Gunn that he did drink on Thursday before the test when he was playing golf with some friends in Northwest Arkansas,” said Lisa Dennis, deputy prosecuting attorney for the drug court. “Since it was a proceeding that happened in court, I don’t really feel comfortable commenting on it or talking about it.”

Jones was given the choice of serving 10 days in jail or a six-week treatment stint. He initially chose the treatment, but then changed his mind after the judge suggested he reconsider due to the impact it might have on his NFL career. Judge Gunn will allow Jones out of jail at 8 a.m. Sunday so that Jones can be in Jacksonville on Monday.

It's unknown whether the Jags will cut him, whether the league will suspend Jones, etc. But this reminds me of one of my favorite Mitch Hedberg jokes:

"Alcoholism is the only disease you can get yelled at for having. 'Damn it, Otto [Matt Jones], you're an alcoholic.' 'Damn it, Otto [Matt Jones], you have lupus.' One of those two doesn't sound right."

Jones is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2009 NFL season.