The Seattle Seahawks shipped a sixth-round in 2022 to the Jacksonville Jaguars and acquired cornerback Sidney Jones a former UW standout. The move adds more intrigue and mystery to a puzzling situation regarding the team’s defensive backfield. Ahkello Witherspoon and Tre Flowers looked to be the projected starters at the beginning of the preseason. With neither player distancing themselves from their competitors the move to get Jones brings depth and possibly a starter.
HIGH DRAFT PICK
After a standout career at UW Jones was projected to be a first-round draft in 2017. A devasting Achilles’ injury during the UW Pro Day saw his stock plummet. The Eagles grabbed him with the 43rd overall pick in the second round and Jones started the season on the non-football injury list due to the Achilles injury.
A series of injuries in his first three years saw Jones participate in 31 of a possible 64 games with just 14 starts. The Eagles released him on roster cut day last season. The Jaguars signed Jones to the practice squad three days later on September 8th, 2020.
VERSATILITY A STRENGTH
Jones played in nine games with six starts for the Jaguars last season, playing primarily right cornerback where participated in 184 snaps. He also saw 64 snaps on the left side . This preseason Jones played 91 snaps at right back and allowed nine receptions on 13 targets. In 2020
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
The Jones trade is the third cornerback acquisition since the end of last season by the Seahawks. During the spring the Seahawks signed Witherspoon to a one-year $4million deal hoping he would start at left cornerback in place of the departed Shaquille Griffin. Last week the Seahawks sent a seven-round conditional pick in the 2023 draft to Houston for left cornerback John Reid. The Jones acquisition completes the triple play . The Seahawks saw enough in Jones to add him to the left cornerback carousel with Witherspoon and Damarious Randall.
Randall played in 27 snaps the last two preseason games and head coach Pete Carroll is quoted as saying the 7th year former Sun Devil is in the running for a starting position. With just two weeks of practice before the season opener and no more preseason games to play the battle for the left starting cornerback will be won in practice.
RIGHT SIDE JUST AS MURKY
The starting right cornerback slot is also up in the air. Flowers has surpassed or is even with D.J. Reed who was penciled in as the starter at the beginning of training camp. A groin injury saw Reed sit out most of training camp. Reed returned to practice last week but did not participate in last Saturday’s final preseason game against the Charges. Another name to look out for is Tre Brown the fourth-round pick from Oklahoma. Â Brown has had a solid preseason and quietly moved up the depth chart.
