Philadelphia Eagles: Could Matt Jones make an impact this season?
One of the newer Philadelphia Eagles, running back Matt Jones, may have a tough time making the final 53-man roster, but, when it’s all said and done, he may end up being an underrated addition.
It’s finally that time of the year again. The pads are, officially, back on, and Philadelphia Eagles training camp is in full swing. In typical camp fashion, position battles are the discussion and players are scrambling for roster spots.
All of that is key in assembling another Super Bowl winning team. One specific position battle that fans should keep an eye on this summer is in the running back room.
The current roundup includes Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement, Darren Sproles, Donnel Pumphrey, Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, and the man of the hour Matt Jones. As you can see, talent is very plentiful here. Unfortunately, there will most likely be too many mouths to feed, and not enough of the ball to go around.
Can Matt Jones outweigh the competition?
Philadelphia Eagles
‘The Birds’ inked Jones to a two-year deal in early May to the surprise of some. Some believed that the Eagles were already set at running back, but Philly decided to take a chance and give Jones a shot to prove himself.
At the prime age of 25, Jones has had a decent, but up-and-down career. He was drafted 95th overall by the Washington Redskins in the 2015 NFL Draft. He had a good start to his career, but it didn’t last as injuries and inconsistency caused the Redskins to move on from the Florida product.
Jones would later be claimed by the Indianapolis Colts. His stint there is probably one that he’d like to forget. That part of his career is over though. Now, he’s with the Eagles, and a change of scenery could be exactly what the doctor ordered.
Earlier this summer, Jones was reportedly impressing some Eagles coaches and some of the staff. If he can keep up that momentum, his chances of making the final roster will sky rocket.
We know the three locks for the roster are most likely Ajayi, Clement, and Sproles. The battle for the fourth or fifth spot will be an interesting sight to see. Smallwood and Pumphrey may be on the outside looking in, so Matt Jones’ main competition should be undrafted rookie from Notre Dame, Josh Adams.
We all know that Matt Jones has the talent and potential, it just all depends on how he utilizes it. If Jones does end up making the roster, he could end up being a very useful complimentary piece in the Eagles’ future success.