DJ Jones signing already paying dividends for Denver Broncos
If there is one thing the NFL has continued to always teach us it is that games can be won in the trenches and the Denver Broncos have a player who can.
After week one’s loss in the 2022 NFL season to the hand of the Seattle Seahawks, one of the Denver Broncos’ better performers is also a player that was not talked about nearly enough. Coming from the San Francisco 49ers, DJ Jones flew under the radar with fans and media. However, after week one it is clear Jones could be a very solid contributor on the defensive line.
Denver Broncos getting a huge boost on IDL from DJ Jones
When he was with the 49ers, Jones was never a player who would rack up ridiculous sack totals. Yet, he did perform stout upfront becoming one of the NFL’s better run stuffers in 2021. For players with 250+ snaps, Jones ranked at the very top of stop percentage for a defensive lineman last year. Jones is a productive and physical specimen who presents far more athleticism than given credit for as a big lineman.
Jurrell Casey is a different kind of player but it is still surprising to see how freaky even the biggest humans can be. Jones, like Casey, is no exception. His ability to appropriately shed blocks creates avenues for him to stop running backs for no gain.
An aspect of Jones’ game is his ability to create pressure on quarterbacks. In the breakout season for Jones with the 49ers, he also totaled upwards of 50+ tackles and 10 tackles for loss. Sacks are not necessarily his thing, but he is a stat padder in those other areas. Like we saw in the Seattle Seahawks game, Jones reminded the Seahawks faithful just how much of a problem he was last year in the division.
We mentioned above about Jones being the underrated signing of the 2022 off-season which should give Broncos Country and the rest of Denver Broncos fans a reminder of the 2014 legendary off-season that was under Peyton Manning. The Denver Broncos signed, TJ Ward, DeMarcus Ware, and Aqib Talib. It was one player who flew under the radar that became a memorable Bronco in his tenure: Emmanuel Sanders.
Sanders was a productive wide receiver who became the Robin to Demaryius Thomas’ Batman. Multiple 1,000+ yard seasons and touchdowns in his career Sanders was a fan favorite in blue and orange.
There are similarities between the DJ Jones signing and the Emmanuel Sanders signing back in the day. There are a lot of times people look for a big fish to make the most immediate impact for their new club, but sometimes it might turn out to be a player none of us expect. This was the case for Sanders and is now the early case for Jones as well.
Jones is proving to not only be a force on the field but he has the personality of an easygoing player who likes to have fun. These two things were hallmarks of what made Emmanuel special as a member of the Broncos.
This early in the season it is nice to see the Broncos receive the production they have in Jones even if it is not in the box score. The Denver Broncos truly got a great one in DJ Jones it appears.