One of the biggest questions facing the Eagles coming into final roster cuts was whether they would keep cornerback Sidney Jones or move on from the 2017 second-round pick.
We might have just gotten our first clue at that answer.
According to NFL Network the Eagles have signed cornerback Craig James to a one-year, $1.52 million contract extension. The deal locks up a roster spot for James, a player that was on the roster bubble.
What it also likely does is take away a spot from one of the corners ahead of him. James has been taking second-team reps in practice at outside corner, and was part of a rotation that included Jones and Rasul Douglas. It is possible that all three make the team, considering the injury to Avonte Maddox, but more than likely this means a move is coming that involves either Jones or Douglas.
One potential trade partner would be the New York Jets or Cleveland Browns, considering the ties they have to the Eagles' front office. The Carolina Panthers are also considered to be in the trade market for a cornerback.
Of the two, a trade with Jones might be the more likely outcome. While the Eagles might not get much back in return for Jones, Douglas has had a far better camp than Jones, and like James, seems to be a favorite of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Schwartz has always had influence over who makes the final roster on the defensive side of the ball, and if the contract extension to James is any indication, it is possible Douglas is heading for a roster spot and Jones is on the way out.
Schwartz gave this answer last week when asked about how hard it is to evaluate Jones, who was sidelined with a lower-body injury for a portion of camp.
"Our time is starting to run short, and the only thing we can do as coaches is coach the guys that are available to practice," Schwartz said. "Sid is into it. He's done a good job of staying up and everything else when he hasn't been able to practice. But as coaches, guys that are on the field are the guys that are getting the reps, and the guys that are available and doing those kind of things and just unfortunately he has not been there for this last week or so. There's still time, but time is starting to creep in on us. We're less than three weeks from our opener right now."
Now, that time is less than two weeks — and you have to wonder if time has run out on Jones in Philadelphia.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
