The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent safety Sean Jones on a one-year contract.
A second round draft choice of Cleveland in 2004, Jones (6-1, 225) has played in 60 games (44 starts) during his four-year career with the Browns, recording 286 tackles and three forced fumbles. The 27-year-old Jones ranks third among NFL safeties behind Ed Reed and Oshiomogho Atogwe with 14 interceptions since 2006. He is also one of just four players in the NFL to have at least four interceptions in each of the last three seasons. The others are new teammate Asante Samuel, the Packers’ Charles Woodson and the Ravens’ Ed Reed.
In 2008, Jones appeared in 12 games and recorded 69 tackles and four interceptions, including one at Philadelphia on December 15th. He underwent knee surgery following the first game of the season vs. Dallas, and was sidelined for the next four contests. Jones missed his rookie campaign after suffering a knee injury in a May minicamp, but rebounded in 2005 to appear in all 16 games and led the team with 20 special teams tackles. The following year, Jones was named the Browns’ starting strong safety and went on to post consecutive seasons with 100-plus tackles and five interceptions from 2006-07. Jones also earned a spot on Sports Illustrated’’s Dr. Z’s All-Pro team following the 2006 season.
A former standout at the University of Georgia, Jones earned first-team All-America honors as a senior in 2003, after serving as the team’s defensive captain. A two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection, Jones finished his collegiate career with 250 tackles, seven interceptions and a school-record four blocked kicks.
The Atlanta, GA, native attended Westlake High School. As a senior quarterback in 1999, Jones threw for 2,490 yards and 31 touchdowns, while rushing for 806 yards and 11 scores. He also notched 13 interceptions as a defensive back, en route to all-state and All-USA Today honorable mention honors.
Here's what Jones had to say:
On how it feels to be an Eagle:
“It feels great. Philly has great tradition here. The fans demand the team to win and I’m very excited to be here and be a part of this organization. I want to thank [head coach Andy] Reid for giving me the opportunity to come and showcase my talent.”
On whether it feels better to be an Eagle or not to be a Brown:
“It feels good to be an Eagle. I think I’m turning a new leaf in my NFL career. From this point on, I’m an Eagle and I love the intensity of the crowd, I love [the fact that] everybody is greeting me with open arms so far. It’s great to be an Eagle so far.”
On what position they want him to play in light of former FS Brian Dawkins’ departure:
“Brian Dawkins was a great player. I always looked up to him growing up. It was unfortunate for Eagles fans to miss a guy like that. For me, I played strong or free [safety] in Cleveland. I’m interchangeable, so either way it doesn’t really matter.”
On whether the team gave him any indication of what he will be playing:
“Not yet. It’s still early. Like I said, I’m interchangeable either way.”
On what he prefers to play:
“I like playing strong, but we have Quintin Mikell already at strong. I don’t know how they’re going to do it. There is a lot of talent in this defensive backfield here in Philly. Hopefully I can come fill in where that void is from missing Dawkins. Hopefully I will become a great player.”
On whether they told him he would be a starter right away:
“No, I think everybody is competing. Coach made a good point that we are always going to be competing and do whatever we can to keep competition in that backfield. I just can’t wait to get out there and meet my teammates and get this thing started.”
On how he would describe himself as a player:
“I think I am a well-rounded player. I like to come down in the box and hit you. At the same time, I’m a ball-hawk. I am going to try to implement both of those parts of my game here. Along with two great cornerbacks on the corner and a young safety next to me, we’re going to try to get the ball rolling.”
On whether he thinks he’ll be able to make the transition from the 3-4 to the 4-3 defense:
“Definitely. I watch [defensive coordinator] Jim Johnson. He brings pressure defense and I’ve always admired that. I always wanted to be in that kind of defense. I have experience playing the 4-3 in college. I still have experience doing that. It’s going to be a great opportunity for me to just showcase my skills.”
On why he decided to sign a one-year deal:
“I want to be on a team that I feel like a part of. I didn’t want to sign a long-term deal with a team that I didn’t feel like was family. A one-year deal here right now, I will be able to just come out and showcase my talent and hopefully we can let everything iron itself out from there.”
On whether he made any other visits:
“No, this is my first.”
On people viewing him as an individual rather than the team he came from:
“[With time], you will come out and see my work ethic and see me playing in training camp and see me in that first game. All those questions and doubts are going to be answered.”
On whether he was disappointed the Browns didn’t try to bring him back:
“I think it was the change in regime. I still haven’t met [Browns head coach Eric] Mangini. If I had gone to visit them, it would have been the same as me coming here, because I would be meeting everybody the same way. I’m just grateful for this opportunity to come here and play with the Eagles. I just can’t wait to get out there and meet some of my new teammates and get this thing rolling.”
On how his knee feels:
“My knee is 100% right now. At the beginning of the [2008] season, I kind of banged it up and I had to have it scoped early in the season last year. it was kind of swelling throughout the whole year. I think the last two or three games, it started to become like how it was in the 2006 and 2007 campaigns. My knee is great right now, I just can’t wait to come out here and be an Eagle.”
On whether he has had any procedures after the season:
“No, I haven’t.”
On whether his knee injury had anything to do with the fact that he lasted this long in free agency:
“It might have been, but all of that is in the past right now. I am an Eagle right now and I’m grateful for the opportunity that the Eagles gave me. I can’t wait to get out here and start playing and put that helmet on and try to represent my family and friends well.”
On whether he feels like he has flown under the radar:
“I kind of think that way. Being in Cleveland, the market wasn’t that big and we really didn’t have that many national games. But, I definitely try to go out there and prove myself and be one of the best safeties in the league. Coming here to Philly is a great organization. It’s a great team, great teammates, and I still have a couple guys from Georgia who play on this team now. I just can’t wait to go out there and perform and start winning some games and hopefully win a Super Bowl.”
On his interception of WR DeSean Jackson’s pass last year:
“Yeah, he gave me a freebie. I took it.”
On whether he sees this as an opportunity to show what he can do in front of national audiences:
“Definitely. Like I said, the Eagles are a great organization. They’re always on TV, they’re always playing the big-time games against the Giants and Cowboys. I want to be a part of that and I am a part of that now. I can’t wait to just go out and help this team get past the Championship game and into the Super Bowl.”
On how well he knows WR Reggie Brown:
“We’re good. We went to college together. We actually came into college the same year, so we’re pretty good friends.”
On whether he is worried about being labeled as the guy who replaced Brian Dawkins:
“I really can’t concern myself with that. Brian had a fantastic career here in Philly. He is one of the best players of this decade at any position, much less safety. I really can’t think about it that way. I just have to come out here and play my game and try to fit in with my new teammates and just go out there and try to be the best I can be.”
On how he is able to get so many interceptions:
“I think I have a natural knack for the ball. Playing quarterback when I was younger, I kind of recognize stuff before it happens, so that really helps me out a lot.”
On when he played quarterback:
“I used to play quarterback in high school and then going into Georgia my freshman year. Then I switched to safety my sophomore year.”
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