The Philadelphia Eagles are hosting the Chicago Bears on Sunday and the Birds made a move that left some scratching their heads after it was revealed that Sidney Jones would be a healthy scratch.
Jones wasn’t on the injury report and seems to have fallen out of favor in Jim Schwartz’s defensive scheme that’s predicated on his cornerbacks being able to play man to man.
With Jones likely out the lineup unless a significant injury takes place, here are four takeaways from his benching.
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1. Craig James offers more special teams value
James may not be the better cornerback — that’s for another discussion — but’s he’s definitely the more valuable special team’s contributor at this time.
2. Avonte Maddox is king of the slot
With Maddox back in the slot, he’ll likely dominate the reps at nickel cornerback and Cre’Von LeBlanc is the only guy likely to steal reps from Maddox going forward.
3. Jones has fallen out of favor with Jim Schwartz
Even when healthy, Jones was a scratch, although fully dressed for the Eagles loss to Minnesota in Week 7. It was around that time when Doug Pederson challenged Jones to “push through his injuries” and “breakthrough” as a player.
4. Jones’s future is now uncertain?
Whether it be a confidence thing or simply not being a good fit, the Eagles will have to evaluate the possibilities that they made a mistake by using the 43rd overall pick (in the second round) on the former Washington Huskies star. Jones is in a crowded secondary that now includes, Jalen Mills, Ronald Darby, Avonte Maddox, Rasul Douglas, and Cre’Von LeBlanc. Philadelphia will likely consider using their first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on a cornerback or safety, and Jones could be jettisoned away in the offseason.
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