Can Philadelphia Eagles use Sidney Jones as trade bait?

Might the Philadelphia Eagles use Sidney Jones as trade bait?

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Heading towards the end of another training camp for the Philadelphia Eagles and as another regular season approaches, one of the biggest question marks remains fourth-year cornerback Sidney Jones.

Actually, that isn’t totally accurate. To be honest, Sidney Jones has been a major talking point in each of his four seasons since he entered the NFL.

In his first, Philly drafted him in spite of the fact he had a pre-draft season-ending injury, a torn Achilles tendon. Then, there was some sub-par play in his sophomore campaign with the ‘Birds’ as he simultaneously dealt with leg and hamstring issues.

Trade rumors began swirling. The ‘Birds’ stuck with him, but his light didn’t shine any more brightly in 2019 than it had in 2018. And no, a few pass breakups and an interception at the end of 2019’s regular-season run doesn’t change that. Already in year four of his rookie deal, Jones has a ton of questions to answer about his ability. This is a contract year, and so far, he hasn’t done a ton to prove to this franchise that they need to stick with him past 2020.

A contract season approaches for a young man that the Philadelphia Eagles are expecting a lot from.

Believe it or not, 2020’s first game, one versus the Washington Football team isn’t as far away as it seems, and the ‘Birds’ seem to be dropping like flies. There are needs along the offensive front primarily, and as you might imagine, there are beginning to be some rumblings about whether or not Philadelphia might make a move to plug a few holes.

None of those rumbling seem to have come from the organization, but there are a few trusted voices that are wondering if a trade might be the way to go. One of those voices belongs to Matt Mullin of the Philly Voice, and recently, he put together a list of a few players Philly could include in a trade package. Guess who one of those names belongs to.

Here’s why he says the Eagles might move on.

"When the Eagles drafted Jones in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, they thought they were getting a first-round talent, but would only have to be a little patient while he recovered from a ruptured Achilles.Three injury-plagued and inconsistent years later, Jim Schwartz would probably prefer to play five other corners on the Eagles’ roster before he’d play Jones."

Here’s why he thinks teams may have an interest.

"Jones has inside-outside versatility, and he did flash at times last season, including two huge fourth-down pass breakups that sealed wins against the Giants and Cowboys. A change of scenery could perhaps invigorate him."

Nothing says trade bait like a former second-rounder who was believed to have had first-round talent. If you’re the Eagles, you have to believe that you can still get something for this guy as opposed to letting him walk in free agency next March with no reward.

Jones has a ton riding on this season. He isn’t just playing for his future with Philly. He might be playing for his NFL career. Right now, he appears to be battling for a backup role. That isn’t the normal expectation for someone taken in Round 2.

The jury is no longer deliberating. Everyone knows the verdict, and there seem to be two options here. Either Philly can trade this guy, or they can hope he has a breakout year. Unfortunately, there’s been no reason or any evidence to make anyone believe that he’s capable of doing the latter, at least not based on anything we’ve seen collectively.