Eagles CB Sidney Jones eligible to practice but probably won’t
For the first time all season, Eagles rookie cornerback Sidney Jones has been deemed eligible to practice with his teammates.
Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve all taken a step in the right direction. For the first time since he ruptured his Achilles tendon at the Washington Huskies‘ Pro Day, Sidney Jones is eligible for football practice. Jones is a monster on the gridiron. So much so that the Philadelphia Eagles saw fit to invest their second round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft in him.
What’s funny is they did so knowing they had an immediate need for help at the cornerback position, and they knew Jones probably wasn’t going to play a down of his rookie season.
The rumor mill:
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Shortly after hearing that Jones would probably use the 2017 season as a redshirt year, Eagles fans got some good news. The theory was Jones may, indeed, play in his inaugural NFL season. Philly, for that reason, added him to the Non-Football injury list. That meant he could return to the field after seven weeks. There’s just one more thing.
If he doesn’t make an appearance in a game within three weeks of the date he’s eligible to practice, he’s then moved over to the injured reserve list. That would end his season.
An unexpected twist:
The Eagles are being smart with Jones, and that’s to be expected. No one wants to rush him back to the field and risk further injury. That’s become a much easier decision than it appeared to be about a month and a half ago. Philly’s pieced a decent cornerback grouping together, seemingly out of nothing.
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Jalen Mills, Rasul Douglas and Patrick Robinson have played brilliantly. Ronald Darby was added shortly before the regular season began, and though he was injured in game one, he’ll return in the coming weeks. Again, there’s no rush. When Jones and Darby return, the Eagles will, no doubt be in great shape at corner. It’s a nice problem to have.