Miami Dolphins’ Byron Jones could make the Pro Bowl in 2020

Miami Dolphins’ Byron Jones could make the Pro Bowl in 2020.

Yesterday I started my series highlighting five Miami Dolphins players who have the best shot at making the 2020 Pro Bowl today I look at Byron Jones.

I made the case for why DeVante Parker was my number one player who could make this year’s Pro Bowl in Las Vegas.

Today we will go to the defensive side of the ball as my number two Miami Dolphins player most likely to make the Pro Bowl is Byron Jones.

Jones is a newcomer to Miami having come to South Beach from the Dallas Cowboys via free agency, signing a 5 year $82.5 million contract. Jones will play the cornerback position opposite Xavien Howard.

In his first five years with the Cowboys, Jones was used at both the safety and cornerback positions. In his most recent two years, 2018 and 2019, Jones was used exclusively at cornerback.

Jones’ critics like to point out that in five seasons he only has two career interceptions. However, that’s where the casual fan stops.

The fact is over the past two seasons, quarterbacks have avoided throwing Jones’ way. In 2018 Jones’ was targeted only 78 times over the course of the season. That’s 4.8 times per game. Of those 78 targets, only 36 were completed or 46.2% for only 477 yards and just one touchdown resulting in a passer rating of just 70.3. In 2019 quarterbacks were even more cautious, only throwing at Byron Jones 62 times or 3.8 times per game.  Of those 62 targets, just 29 were completed or 46.8% for a measly 329 yards and 3 touchdowns resulting in a passer rating of 79.3 percent.

In 2019, Pro Football Reference ranked Jones 14th out of 126 graded cornerbacks as well as 13th out of 125 graded cornerbacks in 2018. The fact is, despite low interception numbers, Byron Jones is a really good football player.

Jones also comes to Miami with a Pro Bowl pedigree. Therefore, another reason I think Jones has a good shot to get a Pro Bowl nod is that he already has one on his resume. Jones was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 2018 season. It always seems like the first Pro Bowl is always the hardest to make.

Byron Jones will be one piece of what should be a very formidable secondary unit for the Miami Dolphins. Opposing quarterbacks should find it very difficult to throw against the Dolphins in 2020 and Byron Jones will be a very big reason why.