ALLEN PARK -- Everything seemed to be lining up perfectly for Jason Jones last year.

A local product who attended Southfield-Lathrup high school and Eastern Michigan University, Jones jumped at an opportunity to return home, signing a three-year deal with the Detroit Lions.

But this was more than a feel-good homecoming. Jones was coming into a situation where the Lions had a glaring need at defensive end and he would be reunited with Jim Washburn, the position coach who helped him have the most productive seasons of his career when the pair were in Tennessee with the Titans.

At 27 years old, Jones was primed for a breakout campaign before disaster struck. In Week 3, against the Washington Redskins, he had to be carted off the field in the second quarter, his season over after tearing his patellar tendon.

After undergoing surgery to repair the injury, Jones is nearing a full comeback. After sitting out the team's voluntary minicamp last month, he's been participating in individual drills during the recent OTA practices.

The next step is full-team activities.

"I feel like I'm getting close," Jones told MLive after Wednesday's practice. "I'm just trying to go out there and get my footwork right, get my cuts back right. I want to get back to cutting and planting before I jump into team activities."

Coming back from a major injury isn't just physical. The 6-foot-5, 276-pounder is also working to overcome mental hurdles.

"That's the whole part, it's mentally seeing I can do these things again, then translating that to team activities," Jones said.

There's no timetable for Jones to take the next step. He's working closely with the team's training staff and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin to make sure he maintains the best schedule for his body.

Jones is projected as the starting end on the closed (strong) side of the formation in Detroit's new defensive scheme. The team expects his size and length to be effective in slowing down opposing ground games.

-- Download the Detroit Lions MLive app for iPhone and Android

-- Follow Justin Rogers on Twitter

-- Like MLive's Detroit Lions Facebook page