Bengals Roster: Realistic expectations for Sidney Jones IV in 2023

The Cincinnati Bengals signed Sidney Jones IV in free agency this offseason. Jones was a second-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2017 NFL Draft and spent three years in the City of Brotherly Love before he was waived by the Eagles ahead of the 2020 season.

Jones signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars for that season and played in nine games before landing on IR. Jacksonville traded him to the Seattle Seahawks in 2021 where he spent a season and a half before they released him. He closed out the 2022 season with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Now, Jones is on his fifth team in as many years hoping to recapture some of the magic that made him a second-round pick.

What should Bengals fans expect from Sidney Jones IV in 2023?

Signing Jones made sense, as he's an experienced veteran in the league and this Bengals secondary is relatively young. That being said, he wasn't very good in 2022, earning an overall PFF grade of 51.3 and a coverage grade of 44.6. He posted much better grades in 2021, however, notching an overall grade of 70.2 in 447 coverage snaps.

With Lou Anarumo as his defensive coordinator, it wouldn't be crazy to see Jones be closer to the 2021 version of himself rather than the lackluster 2022 version. Still, he's not a lock to make the team.

Seventh-round rookie DJ Ivey is actually ahead of Jones on the Our Lads depth chart. Jones will have to put together a solid preseason to ensure he makes his way onto the 53-man roster but being a veteran definitely works in his favor.

If Jones makes the team after roster cuts, he'll be a backup to Chidobe Awuzie. If Ivey passes him on the depth chart, another team would probably be interested in signing him as depth ahead of the season. Otherwise, the Bengals practice squad is where he'd end up.