Patriots kickoff 2016: A look at Cyrus Jones
The New England Patriots open the 2016 regular season in 24 days, so we are taking a closer look at the owner of the No. 24 jersey, cornerback Cyrus Jones.
Size: 5-foot-10, 197 pounds
College: Alabama
NFL experience: Rookie
Selected by the Patriots in the second round of this spring’s draft, Jones is not only considered a lock to make the final roster, but also a leading candidate for the starting slot corner role. In fact, with Logan Ryan still wearing a red non-contact jersey in joint practices with the Chicago Bears this week, Jones has been getting starter reps opposite Malcolm Butler.
Musket Fire Roundtable: Preseason Week 2
In his first preseason game, Jones appeared with starting defensive backs Butler, Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung and allowed just one completion for a measly nine yards. He also racked up three tackles and smartly recovered a loose fumble on the first drive. The Alabama product has killer insticts on the defensive side of the ball; Jones should factor heavily into the Patriots’ secondary early and often in 2016.
Recent installments in Patriots kickoff countdown profile series:
27 days – No. 27 Darryl Roberts
28 days – No. 28 James White
In addition to his promise as a cornerback, Jones offers potential as a punt returner. With Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola playing such important roles on offense, the Patriots could have the luxury of putting Jones at punt return duty here and there to spell Eddie and Dola. Having Jones back there as a threatening punt returner will take some pressure off the already weighted shoulders of two of the Patriots’ most important pass catchers.
Patriots 2016 season prediction
Zooming out for a second, Jones is one of the most exciting initial draft picks the Patriots have hauled in some time. He is extremely athletic, physical and holds his own in coverage; on punt returns, he is nimble and possesses above-average vision. This writer couldn’t be more excited to see what Jones does when the leaves start turning orange.
Next: Here are the top 5 Pats rookies so far
Tomorrow marks 23 days until the Patriots open 2016, so stop by Musket Fire as we profile the owner of the No. 23 jersey, safety Patrick Chung.