Free agency is a little under a month away and rumors are starting to fly. Unsurprisingly, the big news on Wednesday was concerning the Eagles and their secondary. But there’s one man, in particular, to keep an eye on.
27-year old Byron Jones is easily this year’s most attractive free-agent cornerback and he’ll likely want to be paid like it. This is something Dallas probably won’t have the cap-room to do, allowing their CB 1 to test free agent waters. But is he worth the price-tag?
The former first-round pick is built like a prototypical modern-day corner. At 6’1, 200 lbs, he’s rangy, fast, aggressive, and can hold his own on an Island. He’s missed one game in four-years and has blossomed into a corner that Dallas can depend on.
The one hole in his game has always been interceptions. Despite 44 passes defensed throughout his career, he’s only held on to two of them. The Eagles defense ranked 22nd in interceptions last year and has been terrible at forcing turnovers in the secondary. But should this deter them from paying big bucks at corner?
Like sacks to a pass-rusher, interceptions only tell half the story.
Per Pro Football Focus, Byron Jones allowed just 0.64 yards per coverage snap. Only Richard Sherman, Brian Poole (make a note of that name), and DJ Hayden allowed less…and they all saw more action.
Jones was fourth in the league in snaps per reception allowed, averaging 17.9. He allowed a 90.1 passer rating, 5.1 yards per target, and 10.6 yards per reception. Those are very, very respectable numbers and obviously a huge upgrade over the atrocity we’ve seen in Philadelphia.
The need for a shutdown corner has become greater than ever, but it’s been emphasized due to schematic deficiencies that ask a little too much from corners that can’t provide that exact skillset. It’s trying to push square pegs into round holes.
In 2018, something became inherently clear. On one side of the field, you have the scarily quick Ronald Darby who’s great in man-coverage but couldn’t tackle an inflatable. On the other, Jalen Mills, who wraps up with ease, but struggles downfield. Pick your poison. That didn’t change this season.
Rasul Douglas appears to be a player who fit a front office plan and not a coaching one, with a communication breakdown looking to be the reason why he barely sees the field, but is the most productive at the catch-point when asked to play. Sidney Jones had a tale of two halves last year and Avonte Maddox regressed from his stunning rookie year.
The issue is that the Eagles haven’t exactly built up a glowing history of signing free agent corners. They haven’t paid anyone substantially since the horrifying one-year Byron Maxwell rollercoaster. Outside of Patrick Robinson, who wouldn’t have thrived if not for the acquisition of Ronald Darby, that pushed him into the nickel where he was strongest, the Eagles have been bad at picking up free agent talent at this spot.
Leodis McKelvin and Ron Brooks were Jim Schwartz carryovers, Nolan Carroll was sub-par, and going back any further causes migraines.
The Eagles have leaned on young talent for quite some time now, spending substantial draft capital in a secondary that just hasn’t developed. This may finally be the year to bite the bullet and pay a CB1 once again…but is Byron Jones the right man?
Former Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Rod Marinelli was committed to a 4-3 zone defense, similar to the Eagles, that focused on the defensive line’s ability to one gap. Jones, theoretically at least, fits what Schwartz wants in a cornerback and he’s undoubtedly among the best at the position right now.
But will Howie Roseman bite the bullet and risk giving up a big payday at a position that has only caused problems when he’s done so in the past?
Mandatory Photo Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
