San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Eager to offer a healthy dose of pain
His ankle injury in past, 49ers’ Jones sets goal: get to the QB
D.J. Jones says his injured ankle is 100%, and the 49ers nose tackle is working to improve his pass rushing in a quest to become a “household name” like Philadelphia defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, one of the NFL’s best interior linemen.
In other words: This sure sounds like a typical NFL offseason story.
Yes, this is the time of year when all players coming off injuries are fully healthy and everyone is preparing to become one of the league’s best at his position.
That said, Jones’ sunny outlook during his recent video conference with reporters shouldn’t be dismissed as I’minthebestshapeofmylife blather.
That’s because Jones, 25, had emerged as a runstuffing force on the NFL’s secondranked defense before he suffered a seasonending high ankle sprain in December.
After Jones’ injury, general manager John Lynch said Jones had been “really starting to assert himself as a premier nose tackle in this league.” Before his injury, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh likened Jones to Brandon Mebane, a 13year veteran from Cal whom Saleh coached in Seattle. Mebane was an unsung steadying force on the Seahawks’ renowned “Legion of Boom” defenses.
“In the beginning of the season, we really saw what D.J. can do — he’s a gamechanger,” pass rusher Dee Ford said. “He can definitely disrupt the whole offensive line the way he penetrates and pushes pads back. He’s definitely a pivotal part.”
As he prepares for his contract year, Jones, a 2017 sixthround pick out of Mississippi, is no longer dealing with his severe ankle sprain. The injury, which can take up to three months to heal, didn’t require surgery. Jones said he’s having no issues running or cutting during his offseason training in Greenville, S.C.
Jones, 6 feet tall and 305 pounds, is a candidate to have an expanded role in 2020. The 49ers traded AllPro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Colts in March, and his potential replacement, firstround pick Javon Kinlaw, enters the NFL more advanced as a run defender than as a pass rusher.
Jones has played only on base downs in the past, but he could earn snaps as a defensive tackle in passing situations in 2020, provided he’s up to the task. Jones, who has two sacks in 30 career games, relayed a critique he no doubt has heard from defensive line coach Kris Kocurek when discussing how he can become a better allaround player.
As a nose tackle, Jones’ primary job is to stand up blockers and hold the point of attack. As a pass rusher, he needs to keep his feet firing.
“I know I have it in me,” Jones said. “I just need the opportunity. And I need to continue to work on my craft to get better. … I feel like if I stop my feet, I’ll be stuck in mud and I won’t be able to make any plays. As long as my feet keep working — and my hands are working — I can get to the quarterback.”
Added Jones: “I’ve never really been a thirddown guy.
But I can be that guy. And that’s what I’m working on now.”
It would be a bonus if Jones can add some passrushing pop.
But the 49ers want him primarily to remain available to do what he does best.
Last year, Jones made 11 starts and missed a game with a hamstring injury and another with a groin issue before his ankle sprain. Jones’ conditioning was a knock on him before the 2017 draft, and Lynch has suggested Jones could improve in his efforts to prepare his body for the rigors of the NFL’s trenches.
Jones’ ability to stay on the field has heightened importance this season. His primary backup in 2019, Sheldon Day, signed with the Colts in March and the candidates to replace Day — Jullian Taylor, Kentavius Street and Kevin Givens — are largely unproven. In addition, Taylor and Street are returning from seasonending knee injuries.
Jones recently switched agencies, moving to powerhouse CAA, and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2021 after finishing his fouryear, $2.5 million rookie contract. Jones models his game after Cox, a fivetime Pro Bowler, and he wouldn’t mind earning a paycheck that’s similar to that of the NFL’s thirdhighestpaid interior defensive lineman.
“Fletcher Cox has heavy hands, he can get to the quarterback, and you ain’t moving him on runs,” Jones said. “It’s not happening. But as far as just being grimy and just being a man in the trenches, I want to have a household name like Fletcher Cox.”