Tag: Ben Jones

Chiefs’ Ryan Poles compares Creed Humphrey to Titans C Ben Jones

Chiefs assistant director of player personnel Ryan Poles has an interesting comparison for Creed Humphrey.

The best part about Day 3 of the NFL draft is when the Chiefs make front office members, from bigger executives to local area scouts, available to media. On Saturday, Chiefs assistant player personnel director Ryan Poles got a chance to speak about a few players selected by Kansas City throughout the 2021 NFL draft.

Second-round draft pick Creed Humphrey is a unique player because of his reputation as a left-handed snapper. There haven’t been many of those in the NFL, so it’s hard to find an apt comparison. Most recently, there’s former Falcons, Raiders and Bucs center James Stone. He would snap with his left hand in shotgun and snap with his right hand when the QB was under center. Then, you can go back and recall the time when Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae broke a finger in his snapping hand back in 2004. He switched to his left hand so he didn’t lose his consecutive snap streak.

Poles was asked if there are any players that compare to Humphrey, likely to the point of his left-handedness. Instead, Poles ignored the sentiment completely and provided a unique comparison to a player that is currently in the league.

“Yeah one guy that came to mind when I watched him over the last two years, is like a Ben Jones,” Poles said. “Big, wide, tough, gritty, I kind of labeled him as the ‘get the job done’ type guy. Highly intelligent, leader, all of those things kind of come together so that’s the first guy that came to mind while watching him.”

A former fourth-round pick by the Texans in 2012, Jones is a tough-as-nails starter that is currently playing with the Tennessee Titans. He’s started 95 games at the center position since he got his first start at the spot back in 2015. He’s a lunch-pail type of player, someone who doesn’t get a lot of credit or accolades but is fundamentally sound in the run game and passing game. He’s a guy who isn’t penalized very often and is known as a leader among his teammates. That seems to be how Poles and the rest of the front office in Kansas City envision Humphrey and his fit with the Chiefs.

As for the issue of Humphrey’s left-handedness, the Chiefs don’t seem to think it’ll be a problem. Andy Reid spoke about it shortly after the team made the selection, noting that he can snap with both hands. I wouldn’t be surprised if Humphrey took a similar approach to Stone— snapping with his left hand in shotgun and switching to the right hand when working under center.

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Tennessee Titans’ Derrick Henry voted First-Team All-Pro

It’s the first First-Team All-Pro nod for Derrick Henry.

For the first time in his career, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is a First-Team All-Pro after what has been a legendary season for him.

The Associated Press released its list of players to make the first-team cut, and Henry is the only Titans player on the list. Henry wasn’t a unanimous selection, though, as New Orleans Saints running back, Alvin Kamara, received three of the 50 votes.

Three other Titans received one vote: center Ben Jones, left guard Rodger Saffold and right guard Nate Davis. Punter Brett Kern did not receive any votes after being a First-Team All-Pro last year.

The nod for Henry, who also made the Pro Bowl again and was a second-team All-Pro last season, is well-deserved, as the Alabama product not only won his second consecutive rushing crown, he also broke the 2,000-yard mark on the ground, becoming the eighth player in NFL history to do so.

Prior to his career-best campaign that also saw him lead the NFL in rushing attempts and touchdowns, the Titans inked their star back to a four-year, $50 million extension this past offseason.

While it was criticized at the time by the “don’t pay running backs big money” crowd, Henry has more than proven his worth considering his ability to take games over and his being the engine of an elite offense.

His contract also looks better when you consider there are five backs making more annually, and four of those contracts have more total value than Henry’s.

One former Titan, right tackle Jack Conklin, received his second First-Team All-Pro nod in his first season with the Cleveland Browns. Conklin also earned the honor during his rookie season with Tennessee.

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Former Georgia C Ben Jones is not fazed by the snow

WATCH: Former Georgia football C Ben Jones seen walking around Lambeau Field in the snow barefoot.

Former Georgia and current Tennessee Titans’ center Ben Jones is not afraid of a little bit of snow.  Prior to kickoff in Green Bay this past Sunday, Jones was seen casually walking around barefoot in the snow covering Lambeau Field like a blanket.

Jones was selected 99th overall by the Houston Texans before being dealt to the Titans in 2016.

The Centreville, Alabama native looked unfazed by the snow, which I’m sure he hasn’t seen much of in his lifetime.  Lambeau Field was actually one of the first stadiums to install field heaters underground to prevent the soil from freezing, but you still are a different type of crazy if you’re walking barefoot in the snow hours before an NFL game.  They simply breed them different in Athens.

Snow won’t stop Titans’ Ben Jones from pregame ritual

A little snow won’t stop Ben Jones from his pregame ritual.

A little snow at Lambeau Field won’t stop Tennessee Titans center Ben Jones from doing his pregame ritual ahead of the “Sunday Night Football” contest against the Green Bay Packers.

That ritual is walking the field completely barefoot prior to kickoff, which is something Jones does before each and every game, along with saying a prayer, in order to honor his late brother.

Of course, Titans fans are used to seeing this every week, but it’s something new in the national media and for those who don’t watch this team on a regular basis.

So, without further ado, here’s Ben Jones walking barefoot in the snow.

Jones and the Titans have a little something extra to play for in Week 16, as a victory not only punches their ticket to the postseason but also clinches them the AFC South crown after the Indianapolis Colts lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the day.

Tennessee and Green Bay kickoff at 7:20 p.m. CT.

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Watch: Titans’ A.J. Brown, Ben Jones imitate Michael Jackson dance after TD

Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown and center Ben Jones have the moves.

The Tennessee Titans had all the reason in the world to celebrate as they recorded a dominant 46-25 win over the Detroit Lions in Nissan Stadium on Sunday.

And they did so in proper fashion.

Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown was one of the team’s many standout players on the day, recording five receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown during a performance in which quarterback Ryan Tannehill distributed the ball well, hitting eight different targets.

And then there’s center Ben Jones, who is, well, always solid — and apparently the big man has some dance moves, also.

Check out Jones and Brown imitating Michael Jackson in their celebration after the latter scored his 10th receiving touchdown of 2020.

After the game, Brown revealed that it was Jones who wanted to do a Jackson dance, so the receiver obliged.

With the victory, the Titans move to 10-4 on the season and remain in first place in the AFC South. Unfortunately, Tennessee wasn’t able to clinch a playoff spot, but the team did secure its first double-digit-win season since 2008, finally getting over the 9-7 hump.

The Titans are set to face the Green Bay Packers up next on the road on Sunday at 7:20 p.m. CT. It’s the second-to-last game of the season, which concludes against the Houston Texans in NRG Stadium on Jan. 3.

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Ravens vs. Titans injury updates: Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams, Ben Jones

Baltimore is not expected to have two of their starting defensive linemen.

The Baltimore Ravens will reportedly be without two of their starting defensive linemen against the Tennessee Titans in Week 11.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, both defensive end Calais Campbell and nose tackle Brandon Williams are not expected to suit up on Sunday.

This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as Campbell (calf) and Williams (ankle) were listed as doubtful on the final injury report of the week on Friday.

This is a big blow to the Ravens’ defense, though. Contending with Titans star running back Derrick Henry just got a bit harder, and this gives a banged-up Tennessee offensive line a bit of a reprieve.

Jones expected to play

In other news, John Glennon of Broadway Sports is reporting that Titans center Ben Jones (knee) is expected to suit up on Sunday even though he didn’t practice all week.

Not having Jones would have been yet another blow to a banged-up Titans offensive line that is already without Taylor Lewan (torn ACL, out for season), and Rodger Saffold (out, ankle).

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Two Titans named to Pro Football Focus’ top-25 interior OL list

As with any offense, strong performance starts with an offensive line that can deliver.

The Tennessee Titans made an unpredictable run to the AFC Championship Game, turning their season around after handing over the starting quarterback job to Ryan Tannehill.

But he wasn’t the only factor in the Titans’ success. As with any offense, strong performance starts with an offensive line that can deliver.

When Pro Football Focus’ Ben Linsey released his rankings of the top-25 interior offensive linemen in the NFL, two Titans made the list.

Titans left guard Rodger Saffold was placed at No. 11 on the list, behind Richie Incognito of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Here’s what Linsey had to say about Saffold.

There has been a lot of discussion around the decline we saw from the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive line in 2019. Saffold’s departure wasn’t the sole domino to fall, but it was an important one. Excluding a 2015 season where he played just 233 offensive snaps, Saffold has recorded a PFF pass-blocking grade of at least 72.0 in every season since 2012 — he’s a consistently strong performer at the guard position. His grading profile as a run-blocker has really picked up in the last several seasons, as well. Since 2017, the only two guards to record a positively graded run block on a higher percentage of their snaps than Saffold have been Nelson and Brooks. One could be in worse company.

Center Ben Jones was listed at No. 18.

After fitting the good-not-great mold for much of his NFL career, Jones really stepped up his play in 2019 — particularly in pass protection. His 1.8% pressure rate allowed at center for the Titans was a top-five mark at the position, and the only center with a higher PFF pass-blocking grade than Jones (86.8) was Rodney Hudson. He allowed multiple pressures in just one game all season. Even at a position like center, which limits the number of truly destructive pass-protecting performances that we see, that’s an impressive season for Jones. He allowed just two pressures in the team’s final seven games. Tennessee will be hoping that elite play carries over into next year as they look to compete in the AFC South.

Both of these players figure to be a factor once more as the Titans look to prove they can be consistent postseason contenders in 2020.

The Titans are set to begin their season against the Denver Broncos on the road on Sept. 14.

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Titans’ Ben Jones is the most underrated center in the NFL

There’s no two ways about it: Ben Jones is criminally underrated.

Even after posting his best season as a pro in 2019, Tennessee Titans center Ben Jones continues to be criminally underrated.

The latest example of this came when Touchdown Wire released its list of the top 11 centers in the NFL. Not only did Jones not make the cut, he wasn’t even mentioned among the players who just missed out.

We saw another example of the lack of respect for Jones in the Madden NFL 21 ratings, where he was given an overall rating of 80, making him the 12th-highest-rated center in the game.

I’m not sure how much more Jones has to do to get recognition outside of Nashville. I mean, there’s no two ways about it: he was an elite center in 2019.

Jones’ 79.7 overall Pro Football Focus grade was the second-best mark among centers. His run-block grade (74.5) ranked fifth, and his pass-blocking grade (85.2) ranked third. Jones also allowed just four QB pressures, the fourth-fewest among players at his position.

What made Jones’ sensational season even more impressive was the fact that he was able to perform up to that level with the Titans’ offensive line crumbling around him for much of the first half of the season.

Aside from Titans fans, it’s clear general manager Jon Robinson is someone who realizes just how good Jones is, as he inked the center to a contract extension prior to his standout season that looks like a bargain.

At an annual average salary of $6.75 million, Jones is No. 17 on the list of the highest-paid centers in the league, per Over the Cap.

Jones’ contract will run out after the 2021 season, but if he continues playing the way he did in 2019, the veteran could very well earn another one from Tennessee, although it won’t be as team-friendly as his current one.

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2020 CFB season countdown: 61 days until Georgia football

Join us as we count down the days until Georgia kicks-off in Atlanta!

There are 61 days until Georgia kicks-off in Atlanta versus Virginia on Sept. 7.

Former Georgia center, #61, Ben Jones played a key role on the Bulldogs’ offensive line from 2008-2011. Jones was Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC and All-SEC second-team in hist first two seasons before being named All-American by ESPN as a senior in 2011. Jones not only protected star quarterback Matthew Stafford, one of the most prolific passers in Georgia history, he also helped pave the way for running back Knowshon Moreno, who ran for 1,400 yards during their one season together.

Jones was drafted by the Houston Texans in the 4th round of the 2012 NFL Draft where he played 4 seasons. He currently plays for the Tennessee Titans and is under contract through 2021.

Jones actually wore No. 61 for the first three years of his UGA career before switching to No. 60 for his senior season.  At the age of 10, Jones lost his father. Since that moment, Jones wore 60 on his jersey to honor his dad since that was the number he wore when he played football. Upon coming to Georgia, Jones had to wait until tackle Clint Boling graduated, as he had the number. Jones waited and eventually got to wear No. 60.

PFF ranks Titans’ O-Line in the middle of the pack for 2020

Where did the Titans land in PFF’s offensive line rankings?

Pro Football Focus released its annual offensive line rankings ahead of the season, and the Tennessee Titans landed in the middle of the pack for 2020.

More specifically, PFF’s Steve Palazzolo placed the Titans at No. 15, while also citing his concern about the right side, which will feature Nate Davis at right guard and either Dennis Kelly or rookie Isaiah Wilson at right tackle.

Three-fifths of the Tennessee offensive line features established starters, while the right side comes with plenty of question marks. The Titans have a potentially volatile group up front but with hopes of ranking in the top 10 once again.

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The only team in the AFC South to rank better than the Titans was the Indianapolis Colts, who topped the list at No. 1.

While there are no doubt questions about the right side after Jack Conklin’s departure, there are certainly reasons for optimism, also.

As far as the competition between Kelly and Wilson goes at right tackle, the edge goes to the veteran thanks to his experience and an abbreviated offseason that might slow Wilson’s development.

Despite technically being a new starter, Kelly allows the Titans to keep continuity upfront with his experience playing with the other four returning starters. And, Kelly did such a good job filling in for an injured Conklin in 2018 that some believed he could take Conklin’s job in 2019.

It’s no surprise Davis got off to a slow start and was a mess for much of his first season — particularly in pass protection — after missing all of training camp, the preseason, and the first three games of the regular season.

With that said, Davis rebounded nicely near the end of the campaign. He improved from an overall PFF grade of 30.1 through Week 14 to 71.5 from Week 15 on.

Combined with Jones, who was sensational all of last season and graded out as an elite center, and Lewan and Saffold, both of whom rebounded strong after slow starts, the Titans have the potential to sport one of the best offensive lines in the league in 2020.

Of course, that will depend on the performance of whoever starts at right tackle and the continued development of Davis.

However, when PFF re-ranks these groups at the end of the 2020 campaign, I’d expect the Titans’ unit to at least crack the top 10, much like it did in PFF’s end of season offensive line rankings from 2019.

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