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By Charean Williams
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com

IRVING —

The Cowboys drafted Byron Jones for his versatility, but it’s his versatility that’s stunted his development at safety.

Three times this season, the Cowboys have needed Jones to play cornerback in place of Morris Claiborne. He had not even practiced at the position since training camp until moving over in Week 11.

“When I played against Miami, I gave up a couple of deep shots on that one,” Jones said. “I did better against Carolina, and then of course, I gave up the big one against the Jets on the sidelines. It was tough. It was one of those things you’ve got to learn from. The margin of error at corner is very small. It was definitely a tough ball game.”

Jones gave up a 47-yard pass play to Miami’s Jarvis Landry in Week 11, allowed only two catches on four targets with two pass breakups against Carolina, and then let Jets receiver Kenbrell Thompkins get behind him for a 43-yard gain that set up the game-winning field goal last week.

Jones was one-on-one with Thompkins but was supposed to be playing off-man instead of press coverage.

“Going back to corner last week was tough on him,” defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. “But he’s the next available at that point because there are so many details that don’t relate. There are so many things that do not relate at all, and, boy, he’s been good at it going in and doesn’t make a lot of assignment errors. The technique stuff can get to you.”

Jones has played better at safety than at corner this season. That likely will become his permanent position moving forward.

“He’s got such range in the middle of the field,” Marinelli said. “That kind of height and leverage and reach and speed in the middle, he’s kind of a sweeper back there. And he can go down on any guy back there and play man on the tight end, and he matches up real well As he moves forward, hopefully we can keep him at one position.”

Jones is just happy to have played as much as he has this season. He has played 743 of 927 defensive snaps, making 65 tackles and breaking up a team-leading 12 passes.

“For me, being a rookie, just being on the field has been beneficial,” Jones said.
 

jnday

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I guess this means that the draft will have to address the mess at the CB position.
 

cmd34

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Only players we have on the roster now that should be starting on defense next year are:

LDE: Demarcus Lawrence
RDE: Greg Hardy (if re-signed), otherwise Randy Gregory
3Tech: Tyrone Crawford
WLB: Sean Lee
LCB: Orlando Scandrick
FS: Byron Jones


Open
1Tech
MLB *Anthony Hitchens probably plays one of these 2
SLB *Anthony Hitchens probably plays one of these 2
RCB
SS
 

Doomsday

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They call the DTs 1 techs in the 4-3? I thought that was the nose in the 3-4. Isn't it 2 tech in the 4-3? Inside eye/outside eye? Or is that 70s stuff?
 

ThoughtExperiment

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3-tech is outside shoulder of the guard, 1-tech is inside... In the 34 the traditional nose would be head up on the center...

Did you guys do it differently back in the day?

I always think that stuff is interesting. My grandpa was a football coach and when I was in 3rd or 4th grade I remember telling how our plays were called. He said they did their numbering system for the holes on offense the total opposite of the way we were doing it.
 
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Doomsday

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3-tech is outside shoulder of the guard, 1-tech is inside... In the 34 the traditional nose would be head up on the center...

Did you guys do it differently back in the day?

I always think that stuff is interesting. My grandpa was a football coach and when I was in 3rd or 4th grade I remember telling how our plays were called. He said they did their numbering system for the holes on offense the total opposite of the way we were doing it.
In my day it was 2 tech playing inside eye/outside eye of the OG, 5 tech playing inside/outside eye of the OT. In a 4-3. In the 3-4 it would be 5 tech playing i/o shoulder of the OT and the noseguard was 1 tech either head up on the center OR inside eye/outside eye to strong side. (strong side considered outside eye of the center.)
 

cmd34

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They call the DTs 1 techs in the 4-3? I thought that was the nose in the 3-4. Isn't it 2 tech in the 4-3? Inside eye/outside eye? Or is that 70s stuff?

a 3-4 NT is 0 Technique although most teams shade or slant the NT.

In a 4-3 over front has the 3Tech to the RB or strength of the formation. An under front puts the 3T away from the strength. Many 4-3 teams will line up both tackles in the 2 Technique on obvious passing downs.
 

cmd34

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D-line-alignment-and-gaps-copy.png
 
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