Philadelphia Eagles CB Sidney Jones ‘right on track’ in recovery process

Just in case you have’nt heard, Philadelphia Eagles rookie cornerback Sidney Jones is doing just fine.

For the uninformed, let’s get you caught up. The Philadelphia Eagles, once desperate for help at the cornerback position, addressed that need in every way an NFL team can do so. They made additions in free agency, Patrick Robinson for instance. They traded the most productive wide receiver the team’s had over the past three seasons to add Ronald Darby. Prior to that trade, they added two young corners via the 2017 draft, Rasul Douglas and Sidney Jones.

The hope was Douglas could contribute immediately, and he’s done that. The Eagles secondary stood tall in three consecutive weeks, despite a few hiccups here and there. Douglas was a big reason for that as defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz shuffled guys in and out of the lineup to neuttralize three teams with good receiving cores, the New York Giants, the Los Angeles Chargers and the Arizona Cardinals.

Each week, there’s been improvement. Unfortunately, Philly’s second-round draft choice hasn’t been on the field for any of it. When he returns, the Eagles will have talent and depth at the cornerback position that they haven’t enjoyed for a while. Jones figures to be good for a long time.

Here’s some of what was said about him on NFL.com in his draft profile:

"Competes all over the field. Throws stiff lead right into the shoulder of receivers like a boxer. Maximizes contact with receivers within first five yards. Eyes are top notch. Balances between quarterback’s eyes and his man from all off coverages. Ready to close on throws anywhere near his area. Pattern anticipation allows him to map receivers path and undercut route. Prioritizes ball over man and attacks catch point with slaps and rips. Early ball tracker with length and leaping to attack the high point. Mirrors receiver acceleration out of their breaks. Twitchy feet for click-and-close transitions and instant change of direction from shuffle technique. Solid recovery quickness."

Despite his inability to gain any on-field experience at the moment, his defensive coordinator is excited about his potential.

Here’s some of what Schwartz said about, not only Jones, but Darby as well:

"Yeah, I think I put him (meaning Darby) and Sidney Jones in that same category. They have been very engaged in the meetings. They found a way to make use of their time, even though they have been on the shelf, and when it comes time for those guys to be back on the field, whenever that is, they have both put themselves in good position to be ready when their body is capable. When their body is capable, I have no idea. I’ll leave that to other people."

Hopefully, this guy is on the field soon. Some are hopeful for a return in 2017’s season, Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice for instance.

Take a look:

As fans, we can only hope he’s right. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.