Byron Jones is what the Cowboys want at the safety position

[Doomsday101]

Byron Jones made the full-time switch to free safety this offseason and is already providing plenty of hope for the future.
The Dallas Cowboys first-round pick in 2015 played every position in the secondary last year, but is now settling in as the team's free safety.
"[Playing corner and safety is] like learning to throw left-handed and right-handed," Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. "Those two positions — corner and safety — are completely different. So hopefully we can keep him in one spot and just keep getting better. He gives us unbelievable versatility and as a safety he can go cover a slot, he can go cover a tight end. He's got that skill. That's what you want at that safety position."
Jones still flourished while playing multiple positions in his rookie season. He collected 66 total tackles in 12 games. However, Jones didn't record an interception and the rookie felt like his first year in the league was a "wake-up call."
"I think [2015] was a good wake-up call for me," Jones said in February. "Just to be out there and understand that athleticism is not gonna carry you. You gotta be good at football. You gotta have football skill. The best thing about this year for me was I saw myself getting better and understanding more as the season went on."

http://dal.247sports.com/Bolt/Byron-Jones-is-what-the-Cowboys-want-at-the-safety-position-45665295

 

[DCBoysfan]

I'm really looking forward to B.Jones just playing one position this year.

 

[DeaconMoss]

me too

 

[YosemiteSam]

Byron sucks.

 

[KingintheNorth]

It will nice to have a free safety with true range and athleticism. The organization went against the grain at that position for a few years and were proven dead wrong.

 

[erod]

I've wanted a true ball-hawking safety here for decades. I hope he's just that.

 

[JBS]

It will nice to have a free safety with true range and athleticism. The organization went against the grain at that position for a few years and were proven dead wrong.

How high are your expectations for Jones?

I think it's a given he will be a big improvement ...but That's more bc of how crappy our other safeties are...just how good do you think he will be?

 

[KingintheNorth]

I think he can get to balls and plays that Church (too slow) and Wilcox (horrible angles, poor judgement) simply couldn't get to. That alone is an improvement. The fact that he can come down in the slot and lock up a WR is a bonus.

He's fast enough to cover burners, athletic enough to battle big WR's or TE's.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

He thought athleticism would carry him last year? I thought he was smart

 

[zrinkill]

Last year he was the CB they wanted.

 

[Plankton]

He thought athleticism would carry him last year? I thought he was smart

One can be smart and athletically arrogant at the same time.

It's not like UCONN has been a football factory in terms of producing NFL talent, so he may not have been fully aware of film study + athleticism trumping athleticism alone.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Last year they wanted him at safety and he was starting to play more but injuries to CB caused them to shift him back there. This year we will see if he stays at that position or if he has to shift to CB to cover an injury to Mo or Oscan because I don't know if the other CBs on this team can take over for any real length of time.

 

[jrumann59]

He thought athleticism would carry him last year? I thought he was smart

Thinking you know what you are capable of and what you are really capable of are two different things. That is what it means to be a rookie. There are players that can get by on pure athleticism as they learn the NFL game, and when the "game" clicks for them they become superstars, there are others that think pure athleticism will get them to canton and wash out like <insert former blue chipper>. Understanding that athleticism will only take you so far is truly the first step to becoming a true pro.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

One can be smart and athletically arrogant at the same time.

It's not like UCONN has been a football factory in terms of producing NFL talent, so he may not have been fully aware of film study + athleticism trumping athleticism alone.

Jones was a man among boys at the program here. He was literally the only player on the team a couple years ago that showed up and made any plays of note.

 

[JPostSam]

He thought athleticism would carry him last year? I thought he was smart

i don't think he actually thought that. in fact, i think he thinks the opposite. he's using coachspeak to show that he gets it.

 

[jnday]

I've wanted a true ball-hawking safety here for decades. I hope he's just that.

They need a ball hawk, but a Jones has shown no signs of being that type of player. IIRC, he was not a ball hawk in college either. Getting interceptions seems to be a skill that a player is born with or not. It is not a skill that is teachable. Being at the right place at the right time is something that comes natural to some players. They just have an instinct for it. I don't see that instinct in Jones, but he would be a massive upgrade in coverage and a 3-4 interceptions a year would be a pleasant surprise.

 

[dallasdave]

Last year he was the CB they wanted.

 

[StarBoyz83]

Need a legit fs with this dl. He will be good.

 

[casmith07]

Last year they wanted him at safety and he was starting to play more but injuries to CB caused them to shift him back there. This year we will see if he stays at that position or if he has to shift to CB to cover an injury to Mo or Oscan because I don't know if the other CBs on this team can take over for any real length of time.

I think they did that last year because he was a rookie.

This year, injury or not, he'll stick at his position as the free safety.

 

[stilltheguru88]

That long run vs buffalo showed Jones has a long way to go. That just wasn't a smart play at all.



2:20 mark. Ugh