The Oakland Raiders still think they have a football player in Taiwan Jones. They just don't think he's a running back.
Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said Friday, according to ESPN's Bill Williamson, that Jones will be moved to cornerback for the 2013 season. McKenzie said the move best fits Jones' "skill set."
The move had been speculated for some time, and Jones said in early December he was open to a position switch if it meant more playing time. Jones is fourth on the Raiders' depth chart at running back and has just 22 carries over two seasons.
Though the Raiders had their hopes, Jones never emerged as a Darren Sproles-like complement to starting running back Darren McFadden. In fairness, Jones never really got a chance.
Jones has experience at cornerback. He played the position in high school and early in his college career at Eastern Washington.
This probably is the right move for Jones, who was unable to move up the depth chart during a season in which the Raiders were hit by injuries in the backfield and finished 28th in the NFL in rushing. He's actually quite fortunate he has another position to fall back on.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
