Tag: Byron Jones

Dolphins injury update: Byron Jones returns after missed practice

Looks like it was just one missed practice for the corner.

After missing Wednesday’s practice with both a quad injury and an Achilles injury, Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones was present and participating in a limited role on Thursday.

Xavien Howard was limited on Thursday as well after fully participating on Wednesday. A groin injury was added to the report for him, so that is likely something suffered at practice that slowed him down.

As Miami continues to get ready for their Week 5 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the health of both cornerbacks is extremely important, as they will be tasked with covering Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, or Antonio Brown.

The only player added to the injury report was center Greg Mancz who is listed with a neck injury. He practiced normally, but, with the current state of the offensive line, we should all watch this closely. This may give Austin Reiter, who was signed off the Saints practice squad earlier in the week, a chance to play sooner than expected.

Wide receiver Devante Parker and safety Brandon Jones’ participation remained unchanged from Wednesday, but Parker did have a hamstring added.

Tight end Adam Shaheen practiced fully today for the first time this week.

[vertical-gallery id=439334]

Dolphins injury update: Byron Jones absent from Wednesday’s practice

One cornerback was inactive, and one was a full participant.

The Miami Dolphins were without one of their top cornerbacks in practice on Wednesday, as they gear up for their Week 5 showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Byron Jones did not participate due to both a quadricep injury and an Achilles injury. Jones left Sunday’s game against the Colts, so it’s no surprise to see his name on the list.

If Jones is unable to go against Tampa Bay, this will be a huge hit for Miami’s defense. Bruce Arians’ offense features three immensely talented receivers who could go off at any time, so they will need all the help they can get.

While the Dolphins do have two solid corners behind Jones on the depth chart in Nik Needham and Justin Coleman, missing one of the game’s top corners will hurt tremendously.

Both wideout DeVante Parker and tight end Adam Shaheen were listed as limited on Wednesday’s report with a shoulder and neck, respectively.

Full participants who are still dealing with injuries included cornerback Xavien Howard (shoulder) and safety Brandon Jones (ankle).

[vertical-gallery id=439334]

NFL.com names Dolphins CB pair the third-best duo in football

NFL.com names Dolphins CB pair the third-best duo in football

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=none image=https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The Miami Dolphins invest more in the secondary than just about anyone in the game. Miami spends a ton of money on getting the depth and talent in the secondary needed to counter the passing trends of today’s game — and the 2020 season was a great leap for the team in that regard. Headlining the secondary spending is Miami’s 1-2 punch at cornerback in Xavien Howard and Byron Jones: two of the highest paid corners in football.

And together, they make one of the three best cornerback duos in the game according to NFL.com’s Cythia Frelund. Frelund ranked the 10 best cornerback duos this past week and put the Dolphins’ pair at No. 3:

“Last season, the Dolphins only allowed 53 percent of passes outside the numbers to be completed, per Next Gen Stats, the lowest rate in the NFL. Xavien Howard, last year’s interception leader with 10, earned PFF’s second-highest CB grade (87.3). When Howard was within 3 feet of his pass catcher, according to computer vision, he got his body in the path of the throw at the highest rate among corners. Byron Jones’ two interceptions in 2020 doubled his career total. His effectiveness in man coverage increased as the 2020 season progressed; computer vision shows his yards allowed decreased later in the year (when taken in context of his injuries).” — Cynthia Frelund, NFL.com

The two pairs of cornerbacks to edge out Howard and Jones for the top spot include the Baltimore Ravens (Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters) and the New England Patriots (Stephon Gilmore and JC Jackson). It is great company to be in, but if the Dolphins are going to pass these two teams in next year’s exercise they’ll need to accomplish a few things:

  • The continued renegotiation of Xavien Howard’s contract must keep him in Miami
  • Byron Jones must continue to play better. He was fine in 2020 and his presence was missed early in the season but nevertheless Jones has room to improve off his first season in Miami

But even if the pair never climbs higher than here, this is still the kind of identity on the back end that you can win with in the NFL — the Dolphins have the talent they need. Because we all know the winning pedigrees of the Ravens and Patriots; so now the Dolphins need to put themselves into that stratosphere as a contending team.

Dolphins defenders partake in first graduation at HBCU trade program

Dolphins defenders partake in first graduation at HBCU trade program

With the NFL’s offseason slowly creeping to a close, NFL players will soon be dialed in on their business on the field. There’s a 17-game season to prepare for and teams across the league are going to have their usual extended runway to brace for the year ahead starting in just a few weeks. But for a pair of Miami Dolphins defenders, this past week offered a little focus on a different kind of business:

The Florida Memorial University’s Construction Trade Program.

The mission statement of the FMU’s Construction Trade Program is “to provide minorities within underserved populations, throughout urban communities in Miami-Dade, specifically the Miami-Gardens and Opa-Locka communities, with the skills and resources to obtain a career in Construction Trades.”

Where do the Dolphins tie in? It was announced in January that the Dolphins Social Impact Committee and the Lennar Foundation would be joining forces to sponsor the program. When the sponsorship was announced, cornerback Byron Jones was one of a number of Dolphins players involved in the Social Impact Committee to offer a statement.

“In many parts of America, people aren’t afforded the opportunity to grow up in neighborhoods with well-funded school, effective after school programs, or economic opportunities,” said Jones. “This program fills the gap that many people of underserved communities fall into. Whether you’re a high school dropout or have a criminal history, this program gives people a chance to develop career skills that will change their lives for the better.”

So with the FMU Construction Trade Program’s first ever graduation ceremony this past week, Jones and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins made an appearance to help encourage the first wave of graduates as they look to put their newfound skills to use moving forward.

 

 

News: Cowboys’ 2nd draft steal, Byron Jones 1 year later, longest 4th downs

Also examined, carrying just 2 QBs and RBs, Damontae Kazee’s upside, and why veteran Carlos Watkins could be fighting for a roster spot.

As the nation paused to commemorate Independence Day, news in NFL circles took a backseat. But plenty of good analysis and provoking food for thought from some of Cowboys Nation’s favorite sources provided topics of conversation for backyard barbecues and fireworks displays, even on the most non-football of holidays.

Among the items the fanbase is watching with just over two months until opening night: big expectations for newcomers Simi Fehoko and Damontae Kazee, and a lot on the line for veteran Carlos Watkins. Byron Jones’s departure is looking like a smart move one year removed, and keeping just two quarterbacks and two running backs on the roster may be the next bold decision by the team. There’s a difference of opinion on whether CeeDee Lamb should return punts, and a pair of nearly-forgotten Cowboys resurface on a list of the longest fourth-down conversions in history.

News: Cowboys’ 2nd draft steal, Byron Jones 1 year later, longest 4th downs

Also examined, carrying just 2 QBs and RBs, Damontae Kazee’s upside, and why veteran Carlos Watkins could be fighting for a roster spot.

As the nation paused to commemorate Independence Day, news in NFL circles took a backseat. But plenty of good analysis and provoking food for thought from some of Cowboys Nation’s favorite sources provided topics of conversation for backyard barbecues and fireworks displays, even on the most non-football of holidays.

Among the items the fanbase is watching with just over two months until opening night: big expectations for newcomers Simi Fehoko and Damontae Kazee, and a lot on the line for veteran Carlos Watkins. Byron Jones’s departure is looking like a smart move one year removed, and keeping just two quarterbacks and two running backs on the roster may be the next bold decision by the team. There’s a difference of opinion on whether CeeDee Lamb should return punts, and a pair of nearly-forgotten Cowboys resurface on a list of the longest fourth-down conversions in history.

Dolphins CB Byron Jones hoping to create more plays in 2021

Dolphins CB Byron Jones hoping to create more plays in 2021

Playing in the shadow of Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard had to be both inspiring and challenging for every other defensive back in the Miami secondary in 2020. Howard seemingly made an interception every week on his way to the first 10 interception season in the NFL in over a decade. For Byron Jones, the dynamics were especially complicated. Because Jones, in his first year as a member of the Dolphins, was paid more than Howard — a finer detail that has helped contribute to Howard’s current holdout from the team after skipping mandatory minicamp this week in Davie.

But a new year brings about a new opportunity for Jones to attack another season with bigger aspirations; and that’s exactly where his head is at entering his seventh NFL season.

“The dope thing about football is you really have to start from (step) one every single year. You’ve got to start with the fundamentals – breaking 90 degrees, 45 degrees, downhill, tracking the ball,” said Jones during a Thursday interview with the South Florida media.

“For me, I’d love to work on my technique more and just be more of a technician and not rely just solely on my athleticism; and I’d also like to be more of a playmaker and get my head around and take more chances at the ball. Instead of batting them down, take those boys back to the house like (Xavien Howard) did last year. Those are the things that I’m working on; but like I said, you really have to build from the ground up every single year.”

If you listen carefully to Dolphins coach Brian Flores’ messaging for his team, he’s constantly talking about getting better every day and has made references to taking joy in the process. As he told the team at the end of the 2019 season, “there’s joy in hard work.”

For Jones to talk about the fun part of football being rededicating himself to the process, it is easy to see why Jones is a fit in the Dolphins’ locker room. And if Jones can live up to his own aspirations of more plays on the football, the dynamics of the Dolphins’ secondary will be a little less complicated in 2021.

Dolphins CB Byron Jones hoping to create more plays in 2021

Dolphins CB Byron Jones hoping to create more plays in 2021

Playing in the shadow of Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard had to be both inspiring and challenging for every other defensive back in the Miami secondary in 2020. Howard seemingly made an interception every week on his way to the first 10 interception season in the NFL in over a decade. For Byron Jones, the dynamics were especially complicated. Because Jones, in his first year as a member of the Dolphins, was paid more than Howard — a finer detail that has helped contribute to Howard’s current holdout from the team after skipping mandatory minicamp this week in Davie.

But a new year brings about a new opportunity for Jones to attack another season with bigger aspirations; and that’s exactly where his head is at entering his seventh NFL season.

“The dope thing about football is you really have to start from (step) one every single year. You’ve got to start with the fundamentals – breaking 90 degrees, 45 degrees, downhill, tracking the ball,” said Jones during a Thursday interview with the South Florida media.

“For me, I’d love to work on my technique more and just be more of a technician and not rely just solely on my athleticism; and I’d also like to be more of a playmaker and get my head around and take more chances at the ball. Instead of batting them down, take those boys back to the house like (Xavien Howard) did last year. Those are the things that I’m working on; but like I said, you really have to build from the ground up every single year.”

If you listen carefully to Dolphins coach Brian Flores’ messaging for his team, he’s constantly talking about getting better every day and has made references to taking joy in the process. As he told the team at the end of the 2019 season, “there’s joy in hard work.”

For Jones to talk about the fun part of football being rededicating himself to the process, it is easy to see why Jones is a fit in the Dolphins’ locker room. And if Jones can live up to his own aspirations of more plays on the football, the dynamics of the Dolphins’ secondary will be a little less complicated in 2021.

Dolphins’ Byron Jones to announce team’s Day 2 picks at 2021 draft

Dolphins’ Byron Jones to announce team’s Day 2 picks at 2021 draft

One of the most fun dynamics of the 2021 NFL Draft is seeing the past and current members of the NFL family welcome the new blood into the mix — the embrace of a new generation of NFL talent is a very fun dynamic to see play out as the draft trudges on over the course of three full days. And that tradition will continue this week as the 2021 draft gets under way.  The NFL announced this weekend which past and present NFL standouts would be helping to welcome the newest members of the league by announcing Day 2 selections for their current (or former) teams.

For the Miami Dolphins? Veteran cornerback Byron Jones has been pegged as the team’s representative, according to the official release by the league.

Jones didn’t have to wait until Day 2 of his own respective NFL Draft to hear his name called, as he was the No. 27 overall pick in the 2015 draft. But as one of Miami’s most highly-paid talents and veterans, he’s a fitting choice on Miami’s current roster to introduce and welcome new members of the team into the fray.

Friday’s Day 2 of the NFL Draft will features Rounds 2 & 3 of this year’s draft and as things are currently scheduled, Miami is set to make selections at No. 36, No. 50 and No. 81 overall.

Dolphins CB Byron Jones joins ‘Good Morning Football’, talks Tua

Dolphins CB Byron Jones joins ‘Good Morning Football’, talks Tua

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=none image=https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

As the Miami Dolphins complete their transition to make this team “Tua Tagovailoa’s team”, there will be plenty of attention paid to how the other members of the organization process, embrace and welcome those changes. One of the quiet leaders of the Miami Dolphins, cornerback Byron Jones, joined NFL Network’s ‘Good Morning Football’ programming this week and spoke about the Dolphins, their rebuilding effort and how the team is “putting a team together the right way” and, most notably the transition to Tua Tagovailoa serving as the unquestioned starting quarterback for the team in 2021.

Here’s what Jones specifically had to say about Tagovailoa and his emergence as the starting quarterback.

“It’s exciting. This team is comprised of a bunch of young guys. Obviously, (Tagovailoa)’s going into his second year. What we saw last year was great from him but we expect a big jump. The kid’s been working, I know he’s been working. He’s been a great kid. Really good head on his shoulders. And that’s the beauty of it,” said Jones.

“We’re surrounded by a bunch of good guys who want to be great again. So I’m looking forward to seeing his jump. His contributions to the team have been great so far, but we’re looking for even something better this year. It’s exciting. I can’t wait to see him work his magic.”

Indeed, that will be one of the unique challenges for Tagovailoa — getting his physical abilities and advantages over former Dolphins QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to shine by mastering the mental side of the game. It’s been great to see Tagovailoa in the weight room and throwing to Dolphins receivers all offseason, but the mental side of the game figures to offer an equal growth opportunity for the former Crimson Tide quarterback. How well he can process those dynamics will go a long way in determining if he’s going to meet the expectations laid out for him by Byron Jones, the Dolphins organization, fans and, most importantly, himself in 2021.