Three years after drafting Byron Jones in the first round, the Cowboys still have no idea what he is. Is he a cornerback? Is he a safety?
Jones started four games at cornerback as a rookie in 2015 and seven others at safety. He has not played corner since, but he has not proved a difference-maker at safety either.
In fact, Jones lost playing time at free safety late last season. Although he played 86.5 percent of the defensive snaps for the season, Jones played only 176 of 260 defensive snaps in the final four games.
The Cowboys have openly acknowledged Jones’ struggles in run support, and he has only two career interceptions.
Thus, the Cowboys are considering moving Jones to cornerback full time, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.
As Archer explains it, new secondary coach Kris Richard likes bigger corners, and Jones stands 6 foot and weighs 205 pounds. But where will Jones fit in?
The Cowboys played rookies Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis and Xavier Woods at corner last season, and a fourth corner, Orlando Scandrick, remains on the roster at the moment.
So as Jones enters his fourth season, the Cowboys are faced with the task of figuring out where to play him and if he’s worth investing in for the future.