Inside the Byron Jones Negotiation
The Eagles were indeed "all-in" on cornerback Byron Jones when the NFL's so-called legal-tampering period began Monday but the talented former Dallas defensive back was also the top order of business for a number of teams around the league.
In the frenzied opening day of negotiations, a league source described the negotiations to SI.com which enabled Jones to land the top deal of the day, a five-year, $82.5 million windfall with the Miami Dolphins, the key numbers being $40M guaranteed over two years and $57 totally guaranteed.
If anything, the average annual value of $16.5M that Jones got was a little under the expectations going in but the front-loaded "real money" portion of the deal got out of hand quickly especially when compared to the rest of the league.
Jones was the exception to the rule of shorter contracts, something evidenced by the consensus No. 2 CB on the market, James Bradberry, who signed a three-year, $45M deal with the New York Giants with $32M guaranteed, a very easy get-out-of-jail-free card for "Big Blue" if things don't work out.
Jones' deal is structured so that he is tethered to Miami through the third year when he will turn 30, usually a red flag at the CB position.
Jones was also intent on "getting the bag" and taking the most money out there and Florida teams always have an advantage that goes beyond the weather in those scenarios because there are no state taxes.
The Eagles, as they typically do, were focused on being competitive from a monetary standpoint but also convincing Jones that the football situation was the best one in front of him as an organization coming off recent Super Bowl success and three consecutive postseason appearances.
The failure was not any reflection on previous big-money busts at the position like Nnamdi Asomugha and Byron Maxwell as some have speculated.
Philadelphia targeted Jones and did indeed want him.
John McMullen covers the Eagles for SI.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
