The Underrated Eagles Addition Who Changes Everything This Offseason

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Cornerback is one of the strongest positions on the Philadelphia Eagles, a position that got even better this offseason.
The addition of Tariq Woolen appears to have already paid dividends, as Woolen was one of the stars of minicamp. The Eagles are going to have Woolen start at outside cornerback next to Quinyon Mitchell, with Cooper DeJean in the slot.
In a base defense, DeJean will go to safety and Mitchell and Woolen will both be on the outside. The Eagles have their "big three' at cornerback.
What about the depth of the roster? There was an offseason move the Eagles made that didn't garner headlines, but was one of the better additions by the team this offseason.
The Eagles signed Jonathan Jones to a one-year contract, for only $2 million but it was all guaranteed. Nothing is guaranteed under a one-year deal, but the Eagles are making sure this one sticks this spring.
Where Jones fits in the Eagles cornerback room
Outside of the "Big Three," the Eagles will need to find a depth in the cornerback room. Jones is well on his way towards that No. 4 spot based on what the Eagles have shown in minicamp.
The first outside cornerback behind Mitchell and Woolen is Jones. The first slot cornerback behind DeJean is Jones. Vic Fangio is essentially giving the 10-year veteran both roles in his system.
This shouldn't come as a surprise for those that followed Jones's career. Even though Jone sis 32 years old, he spent nine years with the New England Patriots -- eight under Bill Belichick in his defense.
Towards the end of Belichick's tenure with the Patriots, he was running a copycat style of Fangio's system. Jones played a significant role in that scheme -- on the outside and in the slot as a backup.
Even at 32 years old, Jones has proven he knows the defense and can play at a high level. This has shown in minicamp, as Jones provides valuable depth for one of the starting cornerbacks.
The Eagles had severe issues at cornerback last season, from finding a No. 2 starter to having quality backups. Woolen filled the first role and Jones fills multiple roles with his versatility on the outside and in the slot.
Even if Jones plays less than 30% of the defensive snaps this season, his versatility on the outside and in the slot will provide value to the Eagles defense. The Eagles are significantly better at cornerback amongst their top four -- with Jones providing the veteran depth the franchise needed.
Could Jones not make the roster?
There isn't a lot of commitment in any one-year contract that doesn't involve real money. For example, Tariq Woolen's one-year deal and Jones's one-year deal are not the same.
Woolen makes $12 million this season, which is fully guaranteed. Jones makes just $2 million, fully guaranteed. The Eagles could cut Jones this summer and not really feel any ripple effects of the decision.
Jones can be outperformed in this cornerback room. Kelee Ringo has proven he can play and is an excellent special teams player, which has value on a roster. Jakorian Bennett may have fallen out of favor in Philadelphia, but a full offseason may help him in his quest to win a job.
A poor summer from Jones could force the Eagles to move on. This is highly unlikely at this point in the offseason, given how the Eagles are using Jone sin the defense.
Jones is the No. 4 cornerback, and likely will hold onto that job all summer.

Jeff Kerr covers the Philadelphia Eagles for On SI, part of the Sports Illustrated network and has covered the NFL for 10 years for CBS Sports. He's covered two Super Bowls, three conference championship games, and multiple playoff games in his career. Jeff also covers the Phillies for 97.3 ESPN FM in South Jersey and has been on the Phillies beat for multiple years. He also hosts multiple podcasts including an Eagles one for On SI.
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