As we count down from 50 days until the New Orleans Saints begin their regular season in Atlanta, on September 7th, we're getting to know a little bit about those players who have signed on to bring home another Lombardi trophy.
Today, we take a brief look at offensive tackle Marcel Jones!
So, with no more ado:
20 DAYS UNTIL ATLANTA!!!
#70 OT Marcel Jones (2nd Year)
Marcel Jones was selected out of Nebraska by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Although the offensive tackle has the size and skills to help him succeed in the NFL, there has been a recurring theme throughout his entire football careers: injuries.
In high school, he was an academic standout who also played basketball. But he only played one year of varsity football, due to injuries. He went on to start as a right tackle for a solid running game at Nebraska, but his college career was riddled with nagging injuries, which also stunted his development as a player. His injury history and poor workout performance made him a risky Saints pickup in the seventh round in 2012, and he ended up being sidelined by a knee injury in his rookie season. He then went on to spend last year on the practice squad.
This year, Marcel has been competing for a spot in the offensive line rotation. Last week, he and Senio Kelemete were filling in for Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs. Jones is athletic and intelligent, and the Saints consider him versatile enough to play both tackle and guard. But if he can't stay healthy, he could be more hindrance than asset if the team needs a solid backup to fill in for an injured starter.
Contract:
1 yr(s) / $420,000. If he makes the roster this season, he will be a Restricted Free Agent in 2015.