Martin Frank | The News Journal

Martin Frank, The News Journal

PHILADELPHIA — Sidney Jones is aware of the perception that he's a draft bust because he has only played in 10 games in two seasons.

After all, the Eagles used a second-round draft choice on him in 2017, and he has missed more games in his career than he has played in.

But there are extenuating circumstances, and Jones is determined to prove that he can fulfill his potential. The Eagles drafted Jones in the second round even though he tore his Achilles six weeks before at his pro day. Otherwise, Jones would have been drafted in the first round.

Jones rehabbed all summer and for much of the 2017 season and made it back for the regular-season finale. Then he injured his hamstring and didn't play again during the Eagles' Super Bowl run.

Jerry Habraken, The News Journal

The hamstring injuries persisted last season as Jones missed seven regular-season games, then the two playoff games.

"Everybody looks at that first year like, ‘Oh he’s been in the league for two years and hasn’t done nothing,’" Jones said. "Last year was my first year. I was a rookie (last year), that’s how I look at it. I battled through some injuries, but now I know what I can do. If I’m healthy, I feel confident in myself."

So do the Eagles.

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General manager Howie Roseman made an impassioned plea in April not to give up on Jones.

"You gotta be patient with young players in this league," he said. "We’ve seen it with Brandon Graham. We’ve seen it with Nelson Agholor. We’ve seen that it doesn’t always click right away with everyone. But when they have the right fortitude, when they have the talent in their body, there’s a chance for it to click. And that’s what Sidney has."

Jones plans to prove it. He is battling for a starting job, either on the outside with incumbents Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills rehabbing from injuries, or at nickel with Avonte Maddox.

So far in training camp, Jones has been switching back and forth with Maddox between outside corner and nickel.

On Friday, at nickel, Jones dove and broke up a Carson Wentz pass intended for Marken Michel.

Maddox, for one, was thrilled to see that.

"We push each other, we compete and we have fun doing it," Maddox said. "When Sid made that play, I was the first one to congratulate him. It’s fun. We want each other to succeed. We want each other to make plays. That’s going to bring the best out of all of us. He’s the same way with me."

Jones was even better on Saturday. While playing on the outside, he ran step for step down the sideline with wide receiver Mack Hollins, who was looking back for a deep ball from Nate Sudfeld. As he was falling, Jones reached up, took the ball away from Hollins, juggled it and held on for an interception.

Jones also wants to get one more thing straight. Yes, he struggled with hamstring injuries throughout most of last season. But he was still nursing the hamstring last summer in training camp, and it wasn't fully recovered into the season.

He left the October 11 game against the Giants with the injury. Then after missing three games, Jones returned for the debacle in New Orleans, when the Eagles lost 48-7, and left that game early after re-injuring the hamstring. He missed one more game and returned for two. But when it gave out again in a loss to the Cowboys on Dec. 9, Jones was done for the season, even though he was never placed on injured reserve.

"Everybody was giving me (crap) about it," Jones said. "I came back too early and really struggled. I put myself on the line for my team because we were short. That’s a football mentality, but it didn’t help me. The body and mind want to play, but the body wasn’t ready.

"Maybe in college you get away with 70 percent or something. But in the NFL, everybody’s getting paid. That’s a big difference. My body just wasn’t where it needed to be."

Jones insists that his body is where it needs to be now. He didn't miss a single practice during the spring. Last month, defensive backs coach Cory Undlin called it Jones' biggest accomplishment.

But Jones' mind is where it needs to be, too.

Last season, the Eagles started playing Jones at nickel, a position he never played before, and it took time to feel comfortable. At the same time, he was worried about his hamstring.

"It’s night and day for me," Jones said. "Last year was still a learning curve mixed with all the health issues. That was a big struggle in itself. Now, it’s like, 'OK, I played some last year, I know what this process is about and what to expect.'"

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Eagles training camp day 1

Practice observations

►The Eagles held their first practice in pads Saturday, and linebacker Alex Singleton had the hit of the day, leveling running back Boston Scott just as he caught a pass on the sideline. Scott, somehow, held onto the ball.

"Oh, man, that was my first bam-bam play where I caught it and I was hit before I was actually able to make a move," Scott said. "But really, I've been hit harder than that. It was good. I honestly felt like it was good to experience it, to feel it. I was able to show that I can secure the catch, regardless of the hit, get back up and keep going. Hopefully, that helps me out on film a little bit."

►Defensive end Vinny Curry clotheslined rookie Miles Sanders as he reached the line of scrimmage on a running play. Curry then did a one-legged dance. Also, safety Andrew Sendejo got a hit in on Josh Adams after Adams caught a short pass.

►Eagles fans can't get enough of the Carson Wentz to DeSean Jackson completions. Early in practice, the two connected on a short pass that went for about 2 yards. There was loud applause. Later, the two missed on a deep pass.

►It appears as if cornerback Cre'Von LeBlanc suffered a significant foot injury on Thursday. He was seen in the locker room Saturday with his foot in a walking boot, his leg resting on a scooter. That would explain an NFL Network report that former Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick was visiting on Saturday. Also, the Eagles signed Alex Brown on Friday after he was waived by the 49ers.

The team is shorthanded at cornerback with Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills still working back from their injuries suffered last season.