Eagles fans need to have patience with CB Sidney Jones

Washington cornerback Sidney Jones watched the first round of the 2017 draft without getting a single call. On Day 2, he got a call from the Philadelphia Eagles.

When the Philadelphia Eagles selected Washington cornerback Sidney Jones, the crowd in Philadelphia went crazy. While most of the fans reactions were positive at the time, a week later, Eagles fans are starting to question the second-round pick. Just over a month ago, Jones was running a non-contact drill at his pro day in Washington. When he took a quick step to the side while backpedaling, Jones went down and immediately grabbed his leg. Minutes later he was carted off the field with a torn Achilles.

Jones was a guaranteed first-round pick and the number one corner in the draft before the injury. Although he may not have fallen to the Eagles at 14, they were still very interested in Jones being an Eagle. When the Eagles sent a letter to Jones wishing him a speedy recovery, he knew that he was still on the Eagles’ radar to be drafted. There was no way to tell whether Jones would drop to the second or third round. So when the Eagles failed to trade up for FSU running back, Dalvin Cook in the second round, they took the gamble and selected Jones with the 43rd pick.

Positive reactions are on the decline…

Now a week away from the draft, the Philadelphia sports world is starting to dislike the pick. After waiting until the third round to take a healthy corner, the Eagles hardly upgraded the position. Aside from drafting West Virginia’s Rasul Douglas, the Eagles are left with Jalen Mills, Ron Brooks, Patrick Robinson and Dwayne Gratz. Sidney Jones will have to wait until October at the earliest to get back into football shape. In all reality, the chances of Jones playing in 2017 are very slim.

After missing the playoffs for the third straight year, the want to win now is understandable. Unfortunately, Eagles fans need to be understanding and patient with Jones’ situation. According to many analysts, Jones is the best corner in the 2017 class. After three years at Washington, Jones finished with 145 total tackles, 8 interceptions, and 6 forced fumbles. He finished first team All Pac-12 in 2015 and 2016.

The recovery for Jones could, and should be longer then expected. He is a 20-year-old kid who has no major injuries on his track record. After a successful surgery, he will most likely be eased back into football shape before being sent out on game day. To excite the fan base, Jones released a picture via Snapchat, showing that he was watching Eagles game film from last year already. Although he is currently unable to perform, he still remains motivated and is preparing for his debut no matter when that will be. The long-term value for Jones could be tremendous. If everything goes well, the Eagles may have selected a tier-one talent in the second round.