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Ben Jones

Number19

Number19

Hall of Fame
Did a quick search and nothing came up - the Lakers, the Rockets & the LA Rams were at the top of the search results - so I'm hoping some of you film junkies can come up with a good analysis of our 4th round pick from last year - Ben Jones.

He was ranked as the #2 OC in last years draft, with OG listed as a secondary position, and had a very good career starting for four years with the Georgia Bulldogs against very good competition. Going back and re-reading his draft analysis, I really like what I read but I don't remember paying much attention to his selection last year.

As a rookie, he played in all 16 games and ended up starting at RG for 10 games because of injuries. The right side of our line was a weak spot, but he certainly gained a lot of starting experience not normally expected of a 4th round selection.

He could be Myers' replacement a couple years down the road, but what do we have, in this player?
 
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For a rookie I think he did very well.


He's obviously sharp enough to quickly grasp what we're trying to do & provide some consistency from the position. I think he was looking really good before sh1t got real & we went up against the Patriots. From that game on, it was one big body after another & he just didn't match up well.

But given time, I think he has what it takes to start in this league either at center or RG, depending on what the Texans want to do. I personally think they should start Brooks at LG & Jones at RG.
 
19 he is a very good center who can be an above avg guard. Fortunately, we will not need him as a OG now. He should be Myers back up this season and start 2014.
 
He eats cockroaches. I like that about him. He's willing to put in and do what it takes to get ahead.
 
Just to add my agreement...

He came in as a rookie and was thrown into a position where he wasn't supposed to be thrown into. He should have been the number 3 emergency guy behind Caldwell and Brooks. But Caldwell didn't develop into the starter that we needed him to be and Brooks came in out-of-shape and way too heavy.

The fact that Jones was able to come in and do what he did speaks volume for the guy but he's not the future of our guard position.

Now, that RG spot is Brooks' spot to lose. Jones is our backup for Myers and a backup who can rotate in for spot duty at the guard spots if we need him to.
 
He didn't impress me as a ZBS prospect coming out of Georgia/SEC, but apparently the Texans thought otherwise and he did start many games at RG and was voted by his teammates the Texans top 2012 rookie. Therefor gotta say Jones was very much a value pick in the fourth round given how productive he was in just his first year.
 
He appears to have been a solid addition to the team; and was drafted to back up Myers and eventually be the heir apparent. I've read: "He's a younger version of Pro Bowl center Chris Myers". It's added value that he can step in and adequately perform spot duty at guard. From the video, he speaks very well and seems to be quite intelligent and I agree he obviously is one who quickly picked up the system. We'll have to wait to see how he performs at center but I feel good with him in that backup role.
 
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The Pencil Neck said:
The fact that Jones was able to come in and do what he did speaks volume for the guy but he's not the future of our guard position.

Now, that RG spot is Brooks' spot to lose. Jones is our backup for Myers and a backup who can rotate in for spot duty at the guard spots if we need him to.
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I must be looking at this wrong, as I don't understand this at all.

Sure, Jones may not be the future, but Wade Smith sure as heck isn't either. Jones & Brooks are a better Guard tandem than Wade & Brooks.


JMO
 
Just as a reminder: Smith was acquired as an UFA from KC in 2010 and he hasn't missed a game in his three seasons with the Texans. Last year was his first to be voted to the Pro Bowl. He was drafted in the 3rd round by Miami in the 2003 draft so this next season will be his 11th in the league.
 
thunderkyss said:
I must be looking at this wrong, as I don't understand this at all.

Sure, Jones may not be the future, but Wade Smith sure as heck isn't either. Jones & Brooks are a better Guard tandem than Wade & Brooks.


JMO
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I think there are other plans to replace Smith. But I don't think they're planning on replacing Smith with Jones.
 
Number19 said:
Just as a reminder: Smith was acquired as an UFA from KC in 2010 and he hasn't missed a game in his three seasons with the Texans. Last year was his first to be voted to the Pro Bowl. He was drafted in the 3rd round by Miami in the 2003 draft so this next season will be his 11th in the league.
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Not sure why he was voted to the Pro Bowl. I don't think last year was anything special for him but I'm not an expert at judging those kinds of things. I think it helps a lot to have Brown and Myers on either side of you and it could cover a lot of short comings (The whole is better than than the individual parts.). The key to him being replaced soon is found in your last statement, "this next season will be his 11th in the league." Father time catches up with all of us sooner or later. Don't know how much longer Smith can hold off the young bucks!
 
The Pencil Neck said:
I think there are other plans to replace Smith. But I don't think they're planning on replacing Smith with Jones.
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If that plan would culminate in a better guard playing than Wade Smith in 2013, I'm in. Let's do it. But if you're talking some plan in the future, what are we waiting for? The time to win is now & we need to put our best foot forward. Brandon Brooks at LG, Ben Jones at RG is better, imo, than any combination that includes Wade Smith.

I think we can save money by kicking Wade to the curb. I believe we can save money by extending Antonio. That, I think, would be a nice offering to signing Brian Cushing a year early.
 
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thunderkyss said:
...The time to win is now & we need to put our best foot forward...
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You can't disagree with this, but at the same time, we are an extremely young club deep in sound talent. With the few veteran exceptions, we are going to have a very good team over the next 3 to 5 years. I hadn't fully realized this myself until I analyzed the age of our roster players a week and a half ago.
 
Number19 said:
You can't disagree with this, but at the same time, we are an extremely young club deep in sound talent. With the few veteran exceptions, we are going to have a very good team over the next 3 to 5 years. I hadn't fully realized this myself until I analyzed the age of our roster players a week and a half ago.
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Since we've got a young core we should allow a sub-par player to start?

It's not that I disagree, I don't understand.

Antonio has had his second career season, we shouldn't be expecting too many more. Andre & Matt Schaub... the time is now for them.

We've got the talent & the leadership to win it all in 2013, why waste it with a LG who is past his prime?
 
thunderkyss said:
If that plan would culminate in a better guard playing than Wade Smith in 2013, I'm in. Let's do it. But if you're talking some plan in the future, what are we waiting for? The time to win is now & we need to put our best foot forward. Brandon Brooks at LG, Ben Jones at RG is better, imo, than any combination that includes Wade Smith.

I think we can save money by kicking Wade to the curb. I believe we can save money by extending Antonio. That, I think, would be a nice offering to signing Brian Cushing a year early.
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I'm not sure how this will all turn out but I think that they were planning on doing this:

RT -- Newton, Harris, and Williams battle it out.
RG -- Brooks with Jones backing up.
C -- Myers with Jones backing up.
LG -- Quessenberry and Smith battle it out. Smith's gone if he loses. Jones could be in the mix here as well, until Quessenberry develops.
LT -- Brown, duh.

PS -- Mondek and some other guys.

Williams getting hurt and Newton not being ready has caused some shuffling. And Quessenberry might take that RT job and not give it up. Which leaves the LG more of a question.

I expect Dennison and Kubiak to put the best guys out there.
 
The Pencil Neck said:
I'm not sure how this will all turn out but I think that they were planning on doing this:

RT -- Newton, Harris, and Williams battle it out.
RG -- Brooks with Jones backing up.
C -- Myers with Jones backing up.
LG -- Quessenberry and Smith battle it out. Smith's gone if he loses. Jones could be in the mix here as well, until Quessenberry develops.
LT -- Brown, duh.

PS -- Mondek and some other guys.

Williams getting hurt and Newton not being ready has caused some shuffling. And Quessenberry might take that RT job and not give it up. Which leaves the LG more of a question.

I expect Dennison and Kubiak to put the best guys out there.
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This is my projection. I thin Q will be a very good guard. Smith is better than Jones.
 
Smith has enough to end his contract & unless injured early, Brooks will not beat him out. Jones at best in 2013 will play RG with Brooks to left. LG is much more pressure imo than right and Jones would not have looked same on that side last season. I project Q as better right guard than Jones.
 
Why do you guys want to put Jones at RG when that is the strong side? The reason they are pushing Brooks into that spot is because strength wise, Jones doesn't mesh because that is the strong side of the defense as well. That means bigger, stronger DT's which at this point Jones is not ready for as he lacks that upper strength for that spot. They aren't just putting Brooks in there for nothing after all. Jones could very well get stronger and develop for such demand but at this point you have someone as capable and stronger then you go with that.

As for Smith, you simply can not fix everything all at once. They tried that last year with the right side and the average per carry for Foster running left versus right had a good difference. So Smith may get one more season unless someone just plays out of their mind in camp/preseason. For now they probably just want the veteran presence though Smith is like a roller coaster in his play. I was rather surprised when he got selected to the probowl. Sure didn't earn my vote but I can see reason for keeping him at least one more year.

Even I rather we didn't, heh.
 
What's the weirdest thing you've ever seen Ben Jones do?
"Oh, so you know about him being weird," [NFL draft prospect Aaron] Murray said, with a grin, then he pondered. "Oh God. His pregame rituals, he walks around the entire field with no shoes on. He doesn't care if it's cold, if it's raining, there could be mud out there."
...
"He'll eat anything," Murray continued. "If you dare him to eat like a cockroach or a random bug that's in the locker room, he'll pick it up and eat it."
...
"The Auburn game, I think it was my freshman year, he came up in the huddle and handed me three pieces of, like, dreads," Murray said. "He ripped off the middle linebacker's dreads from Auburn. He handed it to me, I'm like, 'What do you want me to do with these?' We're in the middle of the huddle, I'm trying to call plays, 'Aaron, I've got some dreads for you.'

"He stuck it in his pants. then he went home, he tied them to a ceiling fan so you have to pull the dreads to turn the fan on. So that's probably the most disgusting thing."
...
"Oh my God, he does; but he is very smart," Murray said. "He's a country boy from the middle of nowhere Alabama."
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Troy Chapman said:
There is a video out there, from last year or the year before that, in the Texans locker room of him eating a roach.
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Yes there is. Things like that lead me to question if his 25th percentile Wonderlic gives the test any validity. Who with any sense would grab a cockroach off the floor and eat it? Cockroaches can spread approximately 33 kinds of bacteria, 6 kinds of parasitic worms and 7 other human pathogens. They pick up all kinds of germs on the spines of their legs. From bathroom floors, rodent nesting areas and sewage.......places where they walk through is unlimited. Germs that roaches eat from decaying matter or sewage have been shown to remain in or on them longer than on most objects. It’s unknown why germs can last longer on an affected roach than those exposed to natural elements. Just think about the journey that cockroach made before it was picked up by Jones.......and eaten. Evidently Jones made a quick haphazard decision..........makes me think that the
Wonderlic may possibly predict the ability to make quick decisions....but not necessarily smart ones. :spy:
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Yes there is. Things like that lead me to question if his 25th percentile Wonderlic gives the test any validity. Who with any sense would grab a cockroach off the floor and eat it? Cockroaches can spread approximately 33 kinds of bacteria, 6 kinds of parasitic worms and 7 other human pathogens. They pick up all kinds of germs on the spines of their legs. From bathroom floors, rodent nesting areas and sewage.......places where they walk through is unlimited. Germs that roaches eat from decaying matter or sewage have been shown to remain in or on them longer than on most objects. It’s unknown why germs can last longer on an affected roach than those exposed to natural elements. Just think about the journey that cockroach made before it was picked up by Jones.......and eaten. Evidently Jones made a quick haphazard decision..........makes me think that the
Wonderlic may possibly predict the ability to make quick decisions....but not necessarily smart ones. :spy:
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Thanks for ruining my dinner Doc!
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Yes there is. Things like that lead me to question if his 25th percentile Wonderlic gives the test any validity. Who with any sense would grab a cockroach off the floor and eat it?

Cockroaches can spread approximately 33 kinds of bacteria, 6 kinds of parasitic worms and 7 other human pathogens.

They pick up all kinds of germs on the spines of their legs. From bathroom floors, rodent nesting areas and sewage.......places where they walk through is unlimited.

Germs that roaches eat from decaying matter or sewage have been shown to remain in or on them longer than on most objects. It’s unknown why germs can last longer on an affected roach than those exposed to natural elements.

Just think about the journey that cockroach made before it was picked up by Jones.......and eaten.

Evidently Jones made a quick haphazard decision..........makes me think that the Wonderlic may possibly predict the ability to make quick decisions....but not necessarily smart ones.
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:lol: :spit: :lol: I can just hear the disgust in your voice...

MSR, Doc.
cockroach_by_xuae.gif
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Yes there is. Things like that lead me to question if his 25th percentile Wonderlic gives the test any validity. Who with any sense would grab a cockroach off the floor and eat it? Cockroaches can spread approximately 33 kinds of bacteria, 6 kinds of parasitic worms and 7 other human pathogens. They pick up all kinds of germs on the spines of their legs. From bathroom floors, rodent nesting areas and sewage.......places where they walk through is unlimited. Germs that roaches eat from decaying matter or sewage have been shown to remain in or on them longer than on most objects. It’s unknown why germs can last longer on an affected roach than those exposed to natural elements. Just think about the journey that cockroach made before it was picked up by Jones.......and eaten. Evidently Jones made a quick haphazard decision..........makes me think that the
Wonderlic may possibly predict the ability to make quick decisions....but not necessarily smart ones. :spy:
Click to expand...

Cockroaches are known to live and congregate in sewer lines and that's how most roaches enter living spaces is from the sewer. Now ain't that some siht?
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Yes there is. Things like that lead me to question if his 25th percentile Wonderlic gives the test any validity. Who with any sense would grab a cockroach off the floor and eat it? Cockroaches can spread approximately 33 kinds of bacteria, 6 kinds of parasitic worms and 7 other human pathogens. They pick up all kinds of germs on the spines of their legs. From bathroom floors, rodent nesting areas and sewage.......places where they walk through is unlimited. Germs that roaches eat from decaying matter or sewage have been shown to remain in or on them longer than on most objects. It’s unknown why germs can last longer on an affected roach than those exposed to natural elements. Just think about the journey that cockroach made before it was picked up by Jones.......and eaten. Evidently Jones made a quick haphazard decision..........makes me think that the
Wonderlic may possibly predict the ability to make quick decisions....but not necessarily smart ones. :spy:
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You're getting into my territory here.

Thanks for helping promote my business.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Yes there is. Things like that lead me to question if his 25th percentile Wonderlic gives the test any validity. Who with any sense would grab a cockroach off the floor and eat it? Cockroaches can spread approximately 33 kinds of bacteria, 6 kinds of parasitic worms and 7 other human pathogens. They pick up all kinds of germs on the spines of their legs. From bathroom floors, rodent nesting areas and sewage.......places where they walk through is unlimited. Germs that roaches eat from decaying matter or sewage have been shown to remain in or on them longer than on most objects. It’s unknown why germs can last longer on an affected roach than those exposed to natural elements. Just think about the journey that cockroach made before it was picked up by Jones.......and eaten. Evidently Jones made a quick haphazard decision..........makes me think that the
Wonderlic may possibly predict the ability to make quick decisions....but not necessarily smart ones. :spy:
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Easy, Doc. I'm sure Jones picked the roach off the floor and brushed it off on his jersey prior to consumption. :mcnugget:
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Yes there is. Things like that lead me to question if his 25th percentile Wonderlic gives the test any validity. Who with any sense would grab a cockroach off the floor and eat it? Cockroaches can spread approximately 33 kinds of bacteria, 6 kinds of parasitic worms and 7 other human pathogens. They pick up all kinds of germs on the spines of their legs. From bathroom floors, rodent nesting areas and sewage.......places where they walk through is unlimited. Germs that roaches eat from decaying matter or sewage have been shown to remain in or on them longer than on most objects. It’s unknown why germs can last longer on an affected roach than those exposed to natural elements. Just think about the journey that cockroach made before it was picked up by Jones.......and eaten. Evidently Jones made a quick haphazard decision..........makes me think that the
Wonderlic may possibly predict the ability to make quick decisions....but not necessarily smart ones. :spy:
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Agreed. Since they are the same phylum as crawfish, he should have boiled and seasoned it first.
 
Wolf6151 said:
Bingo. All this odd behavior might make for an interesting story but it don't mean **** if he doesn't step up his game on the field.
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As stated before, though, Jones is a center, pure and simple and why he was drafted. I doubt Chris Myers does any better at guard, which attests to Jones' versatility to at least do an adequate job...which he has. Just not a starters job at a position that's not entirely natural to him.

Ben Jones was and is a coveted player because he can call defenses like he did at Georgia. I had a talk with Jones once and I'm almost tempted to make a bold prediction (maybe not so bold?) that Ben Jones will be a pro bowl center when Myers takes a hike (pun intended). That is, of course, if he doesn't die first from eating his own colon, or something nutty like that (pun also intended).
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Yes there is. Things like that lead me to question if his 25th percentile Wonderlic gives the test any validity. Who with any sense would grab a cockroach off the floor and eat it? Cockroaches can spread approximately 33 kinds of bacteria, 6 kinds of parasitic worms and 7 other human pathogens. They pick up all kinds of germs on the spines of their legs. From bathroom floors, rodent nesting areas and sewage.......places where they walk through is unlimited. Germs that roaches eat from decaying matter or sewage have been shown to remain in or on them longer than on most objects. It’s unknown why germs can last longer on an affected roach than those exposed to natural elements. Just think about the journey that cockroach made before it was picked up by Jones.......and eaten. Evidently Jones made a quick haphazard decision..........makes me think that the
Wonderlic may possibly predict the ability to make quick decisions....but not necessarily smart ones. :spy:
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Calm down man, this guy gets hit in the head for a living and did an "internship" of getting hit in the head at Georgia for a few years, and then various schools before that. I don't hear anybody mistaking him for a Harvard grad.
 
EVOLVIST said:
As stated before, though, Jones is a center, pure and simple and why he was drafted. I doubt Chris Myers does any better at guard, which attests to Jones' versatility to at least do an adequate job...which he has. Just not a starters job at a position that's not entirely natural to him.

Ben Jones was and is a coveted player because he can call defenses like he did at Georgia. I had a talk with Jones once and I'm almost tempted to make a bold prediction (maybe not so bold?) that Ben Jones will be a pro bowl center when Myers takes a hike (pun intended). That is, of course, if he doesn't die first from eating his own colon, or something nutty like that (pun also intended).
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Curious as to what he said that gave you any input as to his football skills? I agree he should be a good center and have called for him to replace Myers this season. I am still interested in seeing if Quess could remain a tackle and draft a LG.
 
badboy said:
Curious as to what he said that gave you any input as to his football skills? I agree he should be a good center and have called for him to replace Myers this season. I am still interested in seeing if Quess could remain a tackle and draft a LG.
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It's not so much of when Ben said to me, but what I said to him. I asked him if he was comfortable playing guard, and he sort of stopped to think about the "party line," if you will. He said he'd do anything they asked him to do. So I asked him if he'd rather be playing center and he said yes, most definitely. It was that hesitation that a picked up. Now, while this isn't an evaluation of skill (after all, he was one of only 3 centers drafted that year, and most of us know what he did at Georgia); nevertheless, all things tallied, there's everything that makes me believe he'd rather be at his natural position...and I think he'd shine more. I'm sure now that Ben Jones thinks the same.
 
I have faith with Fitzgerald's S&C program Jones will improve enough to start at LG.
 
steelbtexan said:
I have faith with Fitzgerald's S&C program Jones will improve enough to start at LG.
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while jones could definitely use more sand in his pants, i really dont see him as starting material at LG, especially with what I and many others expect from quess. he just doesnt have the knack for either guard position. he's built as a center, better at moving and directing than at hitting and locating. jones has to be the conductor, he gets lost trying to play an instrument.

edit: thinking about it, i'm hoping this is the case - jones being a readily capable center. i'm very worried that myers is little more than a product of kubiak's system. kubiak had his faults, but he could most definitely turn average linemen into probowlers. i see myers being one of those who turns back into a pumpkin without kubiak.
 
20150608_texans_otas_btc_03.jpg


Texans’ Ben Jones taking to switch to center

Ben Jones’ transition from left guard to center is overseen by new offensive line coach Mike Devlin.

Devlin, who replaced the fired Paul Dunn, has impressed the players, especially Jones, a starter at left guard the last two years.

“It’s been amazing, just his way of teaching,” Jones said about Devlin, who coached with the New York Jets. “He’s very hands-on in the meeting room. He has you standing up and going through things so you can visualize by the X’s and O’s on the board you really grasp the offense.

“He makes everybody know it (offense), not just the center and guard. He wants everybody on the same page.”

Entering the last year of his contract, Jones is playing the position he played at Georgia. He’s got big shoes to fill to replace Chris Myers. Devlin has been a terrific addition, according to the players.

“He’s played it, and he’s teaching it, and he’s a hell of a coach,” Jones said. “It’s been night and day how we’re picking up blitzes.

“He understands personnel. He knows how to communicate, and he knows how to push you, too. You can’t just have a hard-ass who’s going to grind you into the ground and not do something that’s feasible to football.”​


A lot of very positive feedback on new OL coach Mike Devlin.
 
Playoffs said:
20150608_texans_otas_btc_03.jpg


Texans’ Ben Jones taking to switch to center

Ben Jones’ transition from left guard to center is overseen by new offensive line coach Mike Devlin.

Devlin, who replaced the fired Paul Dunn, has impressed the players, especially Jones, a starter at left guard the last two years.

“It’s been amazing, just his way of teaching,” Jones said about Devlin, who coached with the New York Jets. “He’s very hands-on in the meeting room. He has you standing up and going through things so you can visualize by the X’s and O’s on the board you really grasp the offense.

“He makes everybody know it (offense), not just the center and guard. He wants everybody on the same page.”

Entering the last year of his contract, Jones is playing the position he played at Georgia. He’s got big shoes to fill to replace Chris Myers. Devlin has been a terrific addition, according to the players.

“He’s played it, and he’s teaching it, and he’s a hell of a coach,” Jones said. “It’s been night and day how we’re picking up blitzes.

“He understands personnel. He knows how to communicate, and he knows how to push you, too. You can’t just have a hard-ass who’s going to grind you into the ground and not do something that’s feasible to football.”​


A lot of very positive feedback on new OL coach Mike Devlin.
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Wow... Ben didn't mind throwing Paul Dunn under the bus there did he?
 
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