Is Byron Jones really worth his new contract coming?

[BermyStar]

People always debate this.

It’s simple.

The cap goes up. Contracts go up. He’s the best CB on the market.

Best answer. Real question is are you willing to pay the going rate?

 

[Loso86]

Ok..

I have not said much about Jones as it appears he will be offered alot more than we can do.

But, what are we losing and why is he getting so much attention.

Let me go first..then you guys.

#1-Is Jones really that good?
I am not so sure. It appears to me watching him play..he is not that solid in Zone and his guy often runs wide open.

#2-If #1 above seems true, then is Jones pretty much a 'man on man' guy which limits his role as you can not expect him to be effective like that only. The offense will figure that out and decoy Jones out of the play to open up other WRs.

#3-If he does not grab interceptions, is it reasonable to assume he is playing off the receiver too far a majority of the time? Most intercepts will occur when a CB plays the receiver tightly to be close to where the ball is coming. Jones is not what you call a ballhawk.

#4- is it just me or is it our defense? It seems they throw less at Jones and more at Awuzie and to the TE to attack the safeties. They are easier to confuse and it results in bigger plays. Just ask Aaron Rodgers and Wentz.

#5-So given any of this, Jones had his best 2 seasons under Richard. He is gone as is Marrinelli. If he was not leaving anyway, I think he would have a backslide season for us in 2020 anyway.

#6-Since Marinnelli called the front 7 and Richard the defensive backfield calls..and neither of those guys liked to blitz..Jones NEVER blitz from CB. Crazy. Jaylon Smith is a very good LBer blitzer as is Wolf Hunter. Never really called them either.

So with Jones leaving and Wolf Hunter hurt, Lee in limbo and the rest of the LBers not starters..what now? Drafting a cover CB with 4.2 speed to blitz?

#7-Lets look on the bright side. With Jones leaving, do we not get a compensatory pick in 2021 for his loss? If so, what will that be?
You apologists must know.

So I have mixed feelings about him leaving and no mixed feelings about keeping any money he would otherwise get.

I thought his first years with us were a waste as he bounced from position to position never stabilizing the safety positions and we are still looking for that help Byron Jones was supposed to fill.

So what do you guys think about FA and Jones?

Don't say "if he will take a home discount keep him" stuff.

Other thoughts.

Just depends on how the other team values him. We clearly dont think so. But another team might think he is. Especially a team who has a ball hawk safety amd other corners who can go get the ball. Juat say Byron cover him

 

[starfan1]

Brandon Carr part 2 good cover guy who will occasionally give up plays but for the most part takes care of business about to get grossly overpaid

can’t catch a cold though

 

[KJJ]

What’s being reported that Jones could potential make in free agency he’s certainly not worth that price based on what he’s done the 5 years he spent with the Cowboys. No way would I make a corner the highest paid player at their position if they’re not a playmaker who gets takeaways. With our luck Jones will turn into an INT machine when he leaves. Brandon Carr had 4 INTs his first year with the Ravens.

 

[DanA]

Ok..

I have not said much about Jones as it appears he will be offered alot more than we can do.

But, what are we losing and why is he getting so much attention.

Let me go first..then you guys.

#1-Is Jones really that good?
I am not so sure. It appears to me watching him play..he is not that solid in Zone and his guy often runs wide open.

#2-If #1 above seems true, then is Jones pretty much a 'man on man' guy which limits his role as you can not expect him to be effective like that only. The offense will figure that out and decoy Jones out of the play to open up other WRs.

#3-If he does not grab interceptions, is it reasonable to assume he is playing off the receiver too far a majority of the time? Most intercepts will occur when a CB plays the receiver tightly to be close to where the ball is coming. Jones is not what you call a ballhawk.

#4- is it just me or is it our defense? It seems they throw less at Jones and more at Awuzie and to the TE to attack the safeties. They are easier to confuse and it results in bigger plays. Just ask Aaron Rodgers and Wentz.

#5-So given any of this, Jones had his best 2 seasons under Richard. He is gone as is Marrinelli. If he was not leaving anyway, I think he would have a backslide season for us in 2020 anyway.

#6-Since Marinnelli called the front 7 and Richard the defensive backfield calls..and neither of those guys liked to blitz..Jones NEVER blitz from CB. Crazy. Jaylon Smith is a very good LBer blitzer as is Wolf Hunter. Never really called them either.

So with Jones leaving and Wolf Hunter hurt, Lee in limbo and the rest of the LBers not starters..what now? Drafting a cover CB with 4.2 speed to blitz?

#7-Lets look on the bright side. With Jones leaving, do we not get a compensatory pick in 2021 for his loss? If so, what will that be?
You apologists must know.

So I have mixed feelings about him leaving and no mixed feelings about keeping any money he would otherwise get.

I thought his first years with us were a waste as he bounced from position to position never stabilizing the safety positions and we are still looking for that help Byron Jones was supposed to fill.

So what do you guys think about FA and Jones?

Don't say "if he will take a home discount keep him" stuff.

Other thoughts.

1. Jones is that good, not as good in zone, very good run support.

2. His limitations are not easily exploited

3. He is not playing off the reciever. He’s generally playing press man and good at redirecting the WR.

4. Jones does get thrown at a lot less

5. How Jones plays corner translates to any defense, I doubt he backslides.

6. He doesn’t blitz and it’s not something I think he’d be good at. I’d rather Awuzie, Lewis or Heath blitz more.

7. Almost certainly get a 3rd round compo.

I wouldn’t re-sign him at 10+m per season but I won’t discount the player he is.

 

[Redball Express]

1. Jones is that good, not as good in zone, very good run support.

2. His limitations are not easily exploited

3. He is not playing off the reciever. He’s generally playing press man and good at redirecting the WR.

4. Jones does get thrown at a lot less

5. How Jones plays corner translates to any defense, I doubt he backslides.

6. He doesn’t blitz and it’s not something I think he’d be good at. I’d rather Awuzie, Lewis or Heath blitz more.

7. Almost certainly get a 3rd round compo.

I wouldn’t re-sign him at 10+m per season but I won’t discount the player he is.

$10 mil?

I thought they are saying upwards of $20 mil/yr?

 

[Redball Express]

No free agent is ever worth their contract.

You pay "elite" prices for players that just might be "good".

Whoa. Now I sound like Stephen Jones.

Help!

Thanx Stephen.

Back to your abacus, sir
.

 

[Adreme]

$10 mil?

I thought they are saying upwards of $20 mil/yr?

Probably around 18-19m to reset the corner market. I would say that corners are generally underpaid for how important they are to a defense, but to give context to that figure earlier this season the Ravens agreed to an extension with one of their 2 1st team all pro corners Peters (who they somehow got for a 5th round pick) for 3 years and 42 million with 32 million guaranteed. Now he probably could have gotten far more had he waited but still 14m for a 1st team all pro at one of the most important positions is a massive discount.

 

[Carson]

Brandon Carr part 2 good cover guy who will occasionally give up plays but for the most part takes care of business about to get grossly overpaid

can’t catch a cold though

It’s amazing that Carr left here and had 4 then 2 picks in Baltimore! He had 0 last season, but he didn’t start every game once they traded for Peters

 

[cern]

I'd really like to see what Jones could do under a new set of coaches and scheme. I don't think he's reached his peak. Hopefully the fo is working hard to resign him.

 

[DanA]

$10 mil?

I thought they are saying upwards of $20 mil/yr?

10m is my ceiling for what I think the Cowboys should be willing to pay. Not what I think he will get on the open market

 

[jaythecowboy]

yes

 

[kskboys]

Probably around 18-19m to reset the corner market. I would say that corners are generally underpaid for how important they are to a defense, but to give context to that figure earlier this season the Ravens agreed to an extension with one of their 2 1st team all pro corners Peters (who they somehow got for a 5th round pick) for 3 years and 42 million with 32 million guaranteed. Now he probably could have gotten far more had he waited but still 14m for a 1st team all pro at one of the most important positions is a massive discount.

Underpaid? Ummmmm....no.

 

[beware_d-ware]

Ok..

I have not said much about Jones as it appears he will be offered alot more than we can do.

But, what are we losing and why is he getting so much attention.

Let me go first..then you guys.

#1-Is Jones really that good?
I am not so sure. It appears to me watching him play..he is not that solid in Zone and his guy often runs wide open.

#2-If #1 above seems true, then is Jones pretty much a 'man on man' guy which limits his role as you can not expect him to be effective like that only. The offense will figure that out and decoy Jones out of the play to open up other WRs.

#3-If he does not grab interceptions, is it reasonable to assume he is playing off the receiver too far a majority of the time? Most intercepts will occur when a CB plays the receiver tightly to be close to where the ball is coming. Jones is not what you call a ballhawk.

#4- is it just me or is it our defense? It seems they throw less at Jones and more at Awuzie and to the TE to attack the safeties. They are easier to confuse and it results in bigger plays. Just ask Aaron Rodgers and Wentz.

#5-So given any of this, Jones had his best 2 seasons under Richard. He is gone as is Marrinelli. If he was not leaving anyway, I think he would have a backslide season for us in 2020 anyway.

#6-Since Marinnelli called the front 7 and Richard the defensive backfield calls..and neither of those guys liked to blitz..Jones NEVER blitz from CB. Crazy. Jaylon Smith is a very good LBer blitzer as is Wolf Hunter. Never really called them either.

So with Jones leaving and Wolf Hunter hurt, Lee in limbo and the rest of the LBers not starters..what now? Drafting a cover CB with 4.2 speed to blitz?

#7-Lets look on the bright side. With Jones leaving, do we not get a compensatory pick in 2021 for his loss? If so, what will that be?
You apologists must know.

So I have mixed feelings about him leaving and no mixed feelings about keeping any money he would otherwise get.

I thought his first years with us were a waste as he bounced from position to position never stabilizing the safety positions and we are still looking for that help Byron Jones was supposed to fill.

So what do you guys think about FA and Jones?

Don't say "if he will take a home discount keep him" stuff.

Other thoughts.

My take:

#1: By any metric you want to use, Jones has been excellent since switching back to corner. I haven't heard any statistic disputing that aside from picks.

#2: If Byron's role is "limited" to taking a guy like Julio Jones out of the game? I'm fine with that. Byron can hang with any boundary wideout in the game athletically.

#3: He actually plays receivers very closely, he just doesn't get his head around and has stone hands. At this point, that's not going to change. The anticipation for it and feel just isn't there (more on that later).

#4: Jones was one of the least targeted corners in the entire league. He got thrown at 10 fewer times than DPOY Stephon Gimore. Part of that was because there were easier pickings elsewhere, but Jones was still elite; it's not like he was bad and Chido was just worse. If Byron struggled in coverage, he'd still get picked on whenever he happened to cover the play's first read.

#5: I'd say that's fair. To me, Jones is a press-man only corner. Dude has no feel for zones or space. He's a freak-among-freaks athlete, intelligent, tough, but at his core, I think he's a track guy playing football. If you put him in press and say "cover this guy", he can run with anyone and he's smart enough to understand their route stems, etc and predict their breaks. In that scheme, he's an excellent player. But when we put him at FS and said "drop to 15 yards deep and figure out what to do", he was just lost. I think Romo described that as "seeing space" - seeing how the whole field will change with time and anticipating what spaces will be open or closed, what receivers are going to separate and who will be covered. Byron just does not have the feel for that at all.

#6: Why would you blitz your best cover corner from out wide? Leave that to the slot corner lining up closer to the QB.

#7: If the set-the-market contract rumors are true, we'll get a 3rd rounder guaranteed.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Is Byron Jones really worth his new contract coming?

No. But most FA's aren't. Just like Dak, he is the next one to get paid and that's just the way FA works.

 

[Frozen700]

Simple answer. No

He's just running around put there. Makes no game changing plays.

#DontpayDak

 

[Aviano90]

He is worth what someone pays him, whether anyone agrees or likes it. That’s the only thing that matters.

 

[Adreme]

Underpaid? Ummmmm....no.

The highest paid cornerback is making 15.1 million per year. They are the most important position on defense and yet that is nothing compared to what some of the front 7 players are making who, while game changers, are not as important to a teams success as putting shut down corners on the field are.

In the franchise tag thread someone pointed out that the Ravens seem to recycle pass rushers every single year and be fine and the reason for that is that the Ravens, like the Pats often do, built the best secondary in football and can blitz all day and get pressure that way. Building a shut down secondary that is a nightmare to pass on with some cheap run stuffers is more consistent then getting a pass rushing specialist, cheaper than getting a pass rushing specialist, and results in fewer points and fewer yards surrendered then getting a pass rushing specialist so the question is why is the corner cheaper?

 

[beware_d-ware]

The highest paid cornerback is making 15.1 million per year. They are the most important position on defense and yet that is nothing compared to what some of the front 7 players are making who, while game changers, are not as important to a teams success as putting shut down corners on the field are.

In the franchise tag thread someone pointed out that the Ravens seem to recycle pass rushers every single year and be fine and the reason for that is that the Ravens, like the Pats often do, built the best secondary in football and can blitz all day and get pressure that way. Building a shut down secondary that is a nightmare to pass on with some cheap run stuffers is more consistent then getting a pass rushing specialist, cheaper than getting a pass rushing specialist, and results in fewer points and fewer yards surrendered then getting a pass rushing specialist so the question is why is the corner cheaper?

PFF likes this.

For my money, I think pass rushers are still more crucial to winning than DBs, but the DE market is clearly overpriced right now. Jadeveon Clowney is going to get $20M+ a season despite never reaching double digit sacks. He is very disruptive in other ways, but $20M for a 6-9 sack player, come on. He's worth closer to half that. You can get a lot better deal with DBs.

 

[jay94]

No, but it is exactly how contracts expiring with free agency works.