Byron Jones

Heading into the second season of his five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Dolphins, Jones' status as a pillar of the secondary is beyond question. The 28-year-old's elite combination of size and athleticism make him a force to be reckoned with, but opposing quarterback's understandable hesitancy to throw his way makes IDP production inconsistent.

The Dolphins didn't hesitate to make Jones the highest-paid cornerback in the league just after he hit free agency (though Darius Slay has since surpassed that mark), inking him to a five-year, $82.5 million contract. That move slots the former Cowboy into the role of anchoring Miami's secondary for the foreseeable future, where he'll put his elite athleticism and size to use in becoming a second potential shutdown force alongside Xavien Howard. An ankle injury forced Jones to sit out Week 17 with Dallas in 2019, the only contest he's missed in 80 career regular-season tilts.

Jones' shift to cornerback under new secondary coach Kris Richard was a huge success in every way. The fourth-year DB used his size and elite athleticism to became a shutdown monster, and while he didn't record an interception - largely because teams stopped throwing his way much as the season progressed - his 14 passes defended were a career high. After undergoing hip surgery in the offseason, Jones should be 100 percent by training camp and later a key part of the Cowboys defense in 2019.

Jones put together another solid season as a safety in 2017, scoring his first career touchdown and recording his second straight 80-tackle campaign, but his numbers still seemed somewhat disappointing given his first-round pedigree and off-the-charts athleticism. Rather than try again, the Cowboys will move the 25-year-old back to cornerback this season, where his size could make him a prototypical press corner for new secondary coach and former Legion of Boom mastermind Kris Richard. Jones' IDP production will almost certainly slip with the position change, but he could make a bigger impact on the Dallas defense if Richard can mold him into a physical, shut-down defender on the outside.

Listed generally as a corner, Jones should see the majority of his time at safety in a Dallas defense that lost Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox in free agency -- a longtime starter and longtime top backup, respectively. Jones theoretically might have untapped upside given that he possesses almost Olympic-quality athleticism, but even if he makes no improvements from here, he should have solid IDP utility after totaling 88 tackles and an interception last year. Particularly with Church and Wilcox gone, the potential for improved tackle production seems quite plausible.

The Cowboys made full use of Jones' versatility last year, moving him between corner and safety as team need and game situation dictated, and while the lack of a defined starting role limited his production the rookie still managed 66 tackles in 16 games. Heading into 2016, Jones is expected to be the full-time free safety and while that role likely won't come with the kind of tackle numbers routinely put up by teammate Barry Church, Jones has the speed and world-class athleticism to pull down what could be the first of many NFL interceptions in his career.

Jones showed incredible athleticism at the Scouting Combine after a productive college career for Connecticut, and is expected to compete for a starting spot at cornerback after being selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2015 draft