Josh Jones has the potential to fill more than one necessary role with the Green Bay Packers. The second-round draft pick of the team out of North Carolina State can play both a defensive back and a linebacker. At any given moment, the squad might need somebody to fill either one of those positions - either for depth or skill reasons - over the course of the season. So how will Jones fit at each position during his rookie season?
Josh Jones as a defensive back
Jones' primary position is at safety, the position he was drafted for by Green Bay with the 61st pick during the 2017 NFL Draft.
He played over half of his snaps last season as a box safety and a good portion of them as a free safety, occasionally also moving over to cornerback. He was effective at those positions, recording three interceptions and ceding a quarterback rating of 50.0 according to Pro Football Focus, one of the top marks in college football last season. He is also quite fast, running a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Jones is likely to see the brunt of his playing time as the backup free safety behind Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. The Packers are preparing to move him around the defensive backfield, though. He'll be able to take on receivers and tight ends as a slot cornerback. Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson cited the slot as one of the places where the rookie is most likely to surprise people with playing time during the 2017 season.
Josh Jones as a linebacker
During his very first practice with the Packers, Jones lined up as a safety. He also lined up as a linebacker. He was an extremely aggressive player in college, which could make him a hard-hitting safety, but also a ferocious, ball-chasing linebacker. He is also a little bigger than the typical defensive back, measuring at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds.
His size could eventually lead to a more permanent move to linebacker, rather than the moonlighting he is likely to undergo during his rookie season.
If Jones were to play some linebacker during his rookie season, it would be at the inside spot. The starters there are expected to be Jake Ryan and Blake Martinez, who are both capable, but inconsistent.
That will give Jones a definitive opportunity to earn time there this season. By the end of his rookie season, however, the second-round draft pick could be a force at multiple positions, answering several Green Bay Packers concerns for the future.
