Sidney Jones named Jaguars most underrated player

The Jacksonville Jaguars revamped their cornerback room this offseason, making major additions in both free agency and the draft. With all the changes the team has made it’s easy for Sidney Jones to fly under the radar.

Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus recently wrote about every NFL team’s most underrated player and Jones was the pick for the Jacksonville. He thinks the Jaguars themselves are sleeping on the former second-round pick based on all the offseason additions they have made. Monson says that even though the corner has been slowed down with injuries throughout his career, he is “coming off the best PFF coverage grade (71.3) of his career”, after giving up just 51.4 percent of passes thrown his way.

Jones started off his NFL career on the wrong foot, getting tearing his Achilles at Washington’s Pro Day in 2017. Considered one of the best cornerback prospects that year, his injury made him slide to the second round, where the Philadelphia Eagles selected him with the 43rd overall pick.

After an uneventful three-year tenure in Philly, Jones was released in 2020 and signed with the Jaguars after the season started. He quickly moved up the depth chart and joined the starting lineup in Week 5. Although he finished the year on the Injury Reserve list, he amassed 26 total tackles, nine passes defensed, one forced fumble, and two interceptions in nine games. Looking at Jones’ 2020 production, it’s not hard to tell why Jacksonville’s new regime brought him back this offseason.

Is Sidney Jones really the Jacksonville Jaguars’ most underrated player?

It was a smart move by the Jags to re-sign Jones but he’s far from their most underrated player. If he hadn’t missed time with injuries last season, he would have a stronger case but availability is the most important ability in the NFL and he has missed 33 games. If he manages to stay healthy, he can be an above-average player but until that happens, the title of the most underrated player in Jacksonville goes to linebacker Myles Jack.

A 2016 second-round pick, Jack has been one of the Jags’ most consistent players and one of their leaders. The team has undergone significant turnover since he was drafted but he remains one of their most consistent players even though he hasn’t earned a Pro Bowl or All-Pro nod.

Jones was a key cog in the Jaguars’ defense when he was healthy and could again play a big role if he can stay on the field. Nevertheless, Jack, not Jones deserves more recognition for his role with the team.