When the Green Bay Packers drafted Datone Jones with the 26th Overall pick last year, it was seen as a great fit for their defense. Jones could line up at defensive end and also offer the versatility to shift inside, something defensive coordinator Dom Capers loves to have in his defense.
Jones’ burst off the line is what Green Bay desperately needed, after being torched by mobile quarterbacks the year before. But Jones was unpolished coming out of UCLA and needed to work with coaches on his pad level and hand usage. When he showed up to training camp in July, he looked well prepared to play defensive end in a 3-4, but it didn’t take long for things to derail.
In August, Jones suffered a high ankle sprain that caused him to miss most of the preseason and kept him out of valuable workouts with coaches. Jones sat on the sideline rehabbing as he saw teammate Mike Daniels get extra opportunities with the coaching staff and turn it into a breakout season.
Jones was able to return Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, but played just 18 snaps as he still recovered from the ankle sprain. When Jones was on the field, he struggled to get off blocks and his problems were exposed by a great 49ers’ offensive line.
The Packers realized Jones best role as a rookie would be as a situational pass rusher. He would usually line up inside on the guard, trying to help create an interior pass rush that Green Bay lacked all year.
Finally you saw real flashes of greatness from Jones during a two-game stretch against the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles. He recorded his first career sack against the Bears on Monday Night Football then six days later sacked Nick Foles twice. It would be the highlight of his season though as his snaps started to decline a few weeks later.
In the Packers final three games of the season, Jones sat quietly on the bench. He would play just 22 unproductive snaps during that span, even when players like Johnny Jolly and C.J. Wilson were hurt. It was an unfortunate end to a very disappointing season for the Packers’ first round pick. He finished the year with 3.5 sacks and 18 quarterback pressures, and not quite living up to the first-round expectations.
Jones spent the offseason continuing to improve his endurance and strength, as the Packers plan to use him a lot more this season. Jones weight will remain at around 285 pounds, still having the athleticism that made the Packers take him last year. With Wilson, Jolly and Ryan Pickett out of the picture, Jones has a chance to start for Green Bay this season.
Mike McCarthy said in that the team is expecting a “huge jump” from Jones in 2014. McCarthy spoke earlier in the offseason about wanting to make changes to the defense and having more athleticism, which is exactly what Jones brings to the table. More diverse defensive looks will allow Jones to move inside and outside on the defensive line, presenting more opportunities to improve upon his 3.5 sacks last season.
After missing part of training camp and the preseason with the injury and playing just 263 snaps last season, Jones comes back to Green Bay healthy and ready to make that leap. He won’t have to be on the sideline watching another teammate make the big jump, because he will be the player with a breakout year.
Jones’ lack of production can be attributed to injuries and lost time in camp, but he also played on a defense that was ravaged by injuries and took away a lot of defensive looks coaches had in store. Jones was on a bare defensive line that offered very little real threat to the opposing quarterback, and made things harder for everyone.
Green Bay brought in Julius Peppers to add another top pass-rushing threat. Clay Matthews broken thumb should be completely healed and B.J. Raji should feel back at home playing nose tackle. When you add Nick Perry and Daniels, the Packers will have a significantly improved group heading into the season. This will open up more opportunities for Jones’ to beat single blocks or even get through unblocked while the offensive line is focused on Peppers, Matthews and Daniels.
The Packers need help everywhere on defense, and a breakout season from Jones would be a great step forward. Pair that with the return of cornerback Casey Hayward, arrival of Peppers and incoming rookie draft class and this is a defense that could significantly improve in 2014.