In the Philadelphia Eagles’ pursuit of another NFC Championship and Super Bowl berth, another offensive piece was added to the fold on Tuesday with the signing of former Foley Lion and Alabama …
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In the Philadelphia Eagles’ pursuit of another NFC Championship and Super Bowl berth, another offensive piece was added to the fold on Tuesday with the signing of former Foley Lion and Alabama Crimson Tide receiver Julio Jones.
The seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro was signed to the practice squad but was expected to be quickly added to the active roster according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Philadelphia has a Sunday Night Football showdown against the Miami Dolphins at home on its Week 7 schedule.
Jones enters his age-34 season with the fourth team of his 13-year following 10 seasons in Atlanta and one each in Tennessee then Tampa Bay.
So far, Jones has caught 903 passes for 13,629 receiving yards with 63 touchdowns and will now be catching passes from another former Alabama football player in quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Jones will mark the seventh Eagle to have played for the Crimson Tide and is set to join Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith in the wide receiver corps. Other Alabama connections include offensive linemen Landon Dickerson and Tyler Steen, as well as cornerbacks Josh Jobe and Eli Ricks.
The former Lion receiver held the school record for single-season receptions with 75 in 2006 until recently when Perry Thompson went for 87 last year as a junior. Thompson did so as a Crimson Tide commit, although he flipped to the other side of the Iron Bowl rivalry entering his senior season.
The connections between the receivers don’t stop there, however, as Thompson was recently named to the Alabama-Mississippi Classic with Foley’s 23rd overall selection to the game. Jones, along with defensive back Robert Lester, was named to the 2007 installment of the border-battle all-star contest as the Lions’ fifth honoree and helped score a 51-14 win for Alabama.