News analysis: Pacman traded to Cowboys
by Bryce McRae, KFFL
KFFL: Over a dozen expert league championships a proven source of player news and fantasy content.
Jones has yet to be reinstated by the league for his indiscretions, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has not promised he will do so. The deal could see further picks swapped based on his playing time. In 30 games (28 starts) over two years with the Titans, he deflected 18 passes, intercepted four and finished with 115 tackles (94 solo).
Pacman's contributions in the return game were a major reason the Cowboys made this deal. He returned 20 kicks in 2006, averaging 26.1 yards for a total of 521 yards. Punt returns were where he really excelled, as he totaled 440 yards on 34 punts, while reaching the end zone three times in 2006. His kick-return average was sixth in the league for players with at least 20 attempts that year, while his punt-return average was tops among players with at least 20 returns.
This likely will have little impact on the Titans 2008 season. They showed last year what they could do without him, making the playoffs for the first time under quarterback Vince Young. The fourth-round pick they received for Jones was used to select California receiver Lavelle Hawkins, who could help provide Young with another weapon. The distraction of not having Jones around should be another benefit for the Titans.
The Cowboys have done a good job turning around troubled players' careers; the most recent cases being Terrell Owens and Tank Johnson. They're hoping for a similar outcome with Jones.
Any value Jones brings will be contingent on his reinstatement by the NFL. If that happens, this could be a solid value move for the Cowboys. The loss of backups Nathan Jones (Miami) and Jacques Reeves (Houston) left the team desperately thin at this position. Jones' acquisition could help to address that, plus the team selected South Florida cornerback Mike Jenkins in the first round.
Jones is a solid playmaking corner with good coverage skills who should be a great addition to team with returning starters Anthony Henry and Terence Newman. Assuming he's reinstated, look for him to start at nickel back until he gets back up to speed. Once he's caught up, he likely would take over Henry's starting spot.
The Cowboys lacked an elite return man last year, ranking in the bottom half of the league for both kick and punt-return averages while failing to score on any return. Jones addresses this need in a big way. His impact on the Titans return game can not be ignored. Before they drafted him sixth overall in 2005, they averaged just 4.3 yards per punt return. They more than doubled that in his first season with the team (9.3) and averaged a league-best 12.6 yards per punt return in 2006. Without him, they fell back to 16th with an 8.7-yard average.
If you're in an Individual Defensive Player (IDP) league, picking up Jones as a No. 4 cornerback with upside would be a good move. Playing time, character issues and uncertainty surrounding his status are clearly the biggest drawbacks for anyone taking him.

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