Cyrus The Virus: New Number, Still Bad

[soxfan121]

2016 second round pick Cyrus Jones was a disappointment as a rookie; he muffed kicks, he blew coverages, he missed tackles, and he got kicked out of games. He said he didn't feel like a part of the team and seemed determined to change that:

"What I did this year was not me," he said. "I don't care how anybody tries to sugarcoat it. Yes, I was a rookie. But I feel I should always be one of the best players on the field, no matter where I am."

He even changed his uniform number. But in game one of the preseason, Jones was notably awful:


Not exactly Ben Watson-like hustle to catch the receiver. He gave up another long TD later and was targeted all night by Jags QBs.

This reminds me of the Darius Butler situation; talented guy and high draft pick plays himself off the roster with repeated mistakes. For sure, Jones has a lot of game action and practices before being cut. And maybe he has three great games and gets out of the funk he's mired in.

 

[Hoodie Sleeves]

Not exactly Ben Watson-like hustle to catch the receiver. He gave up another long TD later and was targeted all night by Jags QBs.

To be fair to Jones, the knock on him coming out of college was that he was slow, and his main skill was press coverage - and it looks like he basically got outrun there. He seems like a guy who should almost never be in a situation where he's got no safety over the top.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

I think there's little chance Jones makes the team. He was awful last year, and he looked even worse last night. He's a mental mess and he doesn't appear to be giving max effort. 2nd round pick or not, this guy won't be here when the season starts.

 

[BigSoxFan]

I think he needs to be in a low pressure situation. There is obviously some talent somewhere in that body but nothing has stood out to me since we drafted him. He looks nothing like the guy in the highlight videos at Bama.

End of the day, I don't see much upside here and there are better guys on the roster. This team is too good to risk letting this screw up torpedo everything like he nearly did in that Baltimore game.

 

[moondog80]

Reiss has him as the first mention in the "down" category but does say that he probably was expecting safety help when got burned on two different occasions.

http://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4804685/jimmy-garoppolo-stars-for-patriots-cyrus-jones-struggles-continue

 

[Byrdbrain]

He played some safety last night and the speculation on twitter was that might be to cover for another 2nd round disappointment(Jordan Richards) who is also a candidate to get cut.
On the second one I thought it was pretty obvious Jones was playing zone and expected the safety to get the deep half of the field. It is certainly possible that Jones was mistaken but in both cases someone has to be deep to keep those big plays from happening.

 

[Hoodie Sleeves]

On the second one I thought it was pretty obvious Jones was playing zone and expected the safety to get the deep half of the field. It is certainly possible that Jones was mistaken but in both cases someone has to be deep to keep those big plays from happening.

Yeah, I have no idea what the heck that defense was supposed to look like. Jones clearly thinks hes supposed to be covering the short zone, and hands off the receiver (and then realizes the safety isn't there). Richards basically stands in the same place the entire play, kind of looks like he's covering that side of the field deep, but then doesn't react nearly fast enough to Westbrook being wide open.


Actually, it looks like the safety on the other side didn't pick up the guy deep coming up/across the middle until late, and Richards couldn't decide which one of the two receivers to cover, and basically covered nobody. Might be Richards just messed up, or just a well designed play for that particular coverage.

 

[Seels]

I think he needs to be in a low pressure situation. There is obviously some talent somewhere in that body but nothing has stood out to me since we drafted him. He looks nothing like the guy in the highlight videos at Bama.

End of the day, I don't see much upside here and there are better guys on the roster. This team is too good to risk letting this screw up torpedo everything like he nearly did in that Baltimore game.

Not much more lower pressure than preseason game against Jacksonville.

Meh I prefer him cut. Preferred him cut last year. It's not a talent thing, it's a head thing.

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

He played some safety last night and the speculation on twitter was that might be to cover for another 2nd round disappointment(Jordan Richards) who is also a candidate to get cut.
On the second one I thought it was pretty obvious Jones was playing zone and expected the safety to get the deep half of the field. It is certainly possible that Jones was mistaken but in both cases someone has to be deep to keep those big plays from happening.

I wonder if Jones may be better suited for safety.

Or another team.

I don't care which one. Just not cornerback anymore.

 

[j44thor]

Replacing Richards with Cyrus might not be a bad idea. Richards was directly involved with all 3 big plays last night.
The two deep passes where the WR ran past Cyrus at the line and Richards never got over and the running play where Richards had him lined up and inexplicably took a horrendous angle.

Many people were calling Richards Tavon 2.0 when he was drafted, we'll be lucky if he ends up as good as Tavon.

 

[lexrageorge]

Cyrus' best chance to make the team may very well be to switch to safety. Wouldn't be the worst outcome.

 

[Pandemonium67]

How's his tackling? Could he be Patrick Chung's backup, covering the tight end and helping stop the rushing game?

 

[Granite Sox]

Jones has more (theoretical) value as a punt returner than Richards does as a core special teamer. BB is looking for someone to take punt return away from Edelman, Amendola, McCourty, or Chung (all older veterans).

Richards seemed to mess up the coverage on the second long passing TD, and he (and E. Roberts) screwed up on the long running TD. If you can't cover, and can't play the run, you won't be long for this team.

If Jones shows any ability at S, he'll be kept over Richards.

 

[Stitch01]

Cyrus was fine as a rookie CB last year (meaning he earned some snaps, bar for success for rookie CB is low) just a disaster on PRs. Not writing him off as a corner yet. The Darius Butler comp might be apt, he's not a star or anything but had s long career as an NFL corner

 

[Van Everyman]

He’s baaa-ack:

 

[BigSoxFan]

He’s baaa-ack:

Dear god no!

 

[RedOctober3829]

Dear god no!

They also signed him to a 2-year contract so I'm wondering if there is some guaranteed money in there.

 

[dbn]

Our long national nightmare is un-over.

 

[bluefenderstrat]

He may very well be returning punts again!

 

[brandonchristensen]

Maybe he will be Chung 2.0

 

[Bunt4aTriple]

How can we miss you if you won't go away?

 

[lexrageorge]

 

[eustis22]

Maybe he will be Chung 2.0

Maybe I am the Czar of All The Russias.

 

[singaporesoxfan]

"Cyrus Jones is coming back" is a bad thing to hear whether it's about roster moves or about punt returns

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

I'm more than willing to give Cyrus v2.0 a chance.

Hell, even Troy Brown was once cut then re-signed (by Parcells).

 

[NortheasternPJ]

I'm more than willing to give Cyrus v2.0 a chance.

Hell, even Troy Brown was once cut then re-signed (by Parcells).

Troy Brown has also had a more successful CB career than Cyrus Jones.

 

[Bongorific]

Troy Brown has also had a more successful CB career than Cyrus Jones.

Well played

 

[joe dokes]

Maybe he will be Chung 2.0

Patrick or Eugene?