Miami Dolphins veteran Reshad Jones is having one of his least productive NFL seasons, and the two-time Pro Bowl safety isn't willing to blame the shoulder injury he's been playing with for his subpar season.
Jones blames his new role, roaming the back-end of the secondary as a free safety instead of playing closer to the line of scrimmage like he's done most of his nine-year career, for his limited impact.
"They have me in a different role, like they are trying to cut my numbers back or whatever," said Jones, who had a public spat with defensive coordinator Matt Burke last month, when he refused to re-enter the game against the New York Jets after Burke took him off the field in the first quarter.
"The plays that I'm supposed to make, I've been making them," said Jones, who has 62 tackles, two interceptions and eight pass breakups in 12 games. "My numbers are not going to be the same because I'm playing a whole different position."
Jones has just 24 tackles and two pass breakups the past month while T.J. McDonald has worked closer to the line of scrimmage since the Green Bay game (Nov. 11), which happens to be the game Jones was benched in the first quarter for insubordination.
"Those two guys, they want to get in the action, they want to be down in the box. They're both good at what they do. It's just there's two of them," coach Adam Gase said last week when explaining the safety dynamic. "So we're trying to rotate who's down, who's back and all of those things."
Complicating matters this week is the fact McDonald is nursing a left ankle injury that could force him to sit out Sunday's home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-10). If McDonald doesn't play, Miami might be forced to move Fitzpatrick back to safety, or start Walt Aikens next to Jones.
Last season, Jones had 122 tackles, two interceptions and 1 { sacks in 16 games and was named to his second Pro Bowl.
He generally works in the box, assisting in run support, but the Dolphins are using him to roam the back-end of the secondary, even though Gase knows that's not his strength.
"(McDonald's) honestly one of our best communicators back there in terms of just getting guys lined up and getting the checks out and being in tune with the game plan and those sort of things," Burke said when asked about McDonald last week. "I think he's actually had probably an underrated season to be honest with you. He's done a good job for us."
Jones said the shoulder injury he's been playing with since September isn't an excuse for playing him so far back because he's handling the contact well, and stressed he's only missed two tackles the past five games.
"My shoulder has nothing to do with it. I can play in the back. I can play up (in the box). I'm a versatile safety. I'm not tripping. It's whatever they want," Jones said. "Whatever is best for this team. I'm here to play football. I can't coach and play."
In the offseason, Gase expressed concern that Jones and McDonald, who has 85 tackles and three interceptions this season, wouldn't mesh well playing together.
Miami used a first-round pick on former Alabama standout Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has been forced to play cornerback most of the season because of injuries and the team's struggles at the position.
However, Gase hinted that Fitzpatrick's tenure at cornerback is merely temporary, and that he'll be returning to free safety eventually.
"As a safety, his communication skills are really good. He's smart. He helps a lot. He makes other guys better when he's playing safety," Gase said. "I think corner is just so tough. He might not get a ball thrown his way, whereas at safety, he's involved in so much and that's the value of that."
What that means for Jones and McDonald is unclear, but both veterans have large portions of their 2019 contracts guaranteed.
McDonald has $3.64 million of his $5 million salary in 2019 fully guaranteed.
The Dolphins are committed to paying Jones $11.1 million of his $13.1 million salary in 2019. He'll also be guaranteed $2 million of his 2020 salary ($11.58 million) if he's on the roster the third day of the league year in 2019.
This season, the Dolphins defense ranks 30th in total yards per game (402.3), 31st in rushing yards allowed per game (145.2), 31st in net passing yards per game (6.2) and 30th in sacks per passing play. Miami has recorded just 24 sacks. Only the Raiders (12) have fewer.
Burke's unit also ranks 27th in third-down efficiency, allowing a conversion rate of 42.4 percent, and 27th in points allowed per game (26.7).
"They coach, I play. If they don't see the need to move me back to be more effective, then that's on them. Whatever they want me (to do), whatever role they need me at, that's what I'm willing to do," said Jones, who has started 107 games for the Dolphins since Miami selected him in the fifth round of the 2010 draft. "I'm here to play football and be coachable. Wherever they put me at, wherever they need me at is what I'm willing to do."
