GREEN BAY — Datone Jones knows you're disappointed in him. But the Green Bay Packers first-round pick would appreciate it if you'd be patient with him.
"It's the fifth game of the season," the Packers rookie defensive end said Friday, as the Packers prepped for Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. "It's not too late. I don't want a lot of people getting down me, but it's not too late."
Entering Sunday, Jones has played 73 snaps on defense and has been credited with five tackles (two solo). While Pro Football Focus has credited him with a sack, neither the official NFL statistics or the Packers' stats have him with one. Pro Football Focus hasn't credited him with a quarterback hit or hurry this season.
Jones has played almost exclusively in sub packages as one of the two defensive linemen when the Packers go to five or six defensive backs.
After spraining his ankle on his very first NFL snap in the preseason opener against Arizona, Jones sat out the next exhibition game at St. Louis, then played only 15 snaps against Seattle on Aug. 23 and 26 snaps at Kansas City on Aug. 29.
Since then, he played 20 snaps in the regular-season opener at San Francisco, 20 snaps against Washington, 10 snaps at Cincinnati and 23 snaps last week against Detroit. His lone highlight has been blocking an extra point against the Bengals.
"I think Datone is a work-in-progress," defensive line coach Mike Trgovac said. "Like I told him the other day, 'Really, with where you were, we're four games into the season now, and with as much training camp as you missed and preseason games you missed, it's like you're coming out of the preseason right now.'
"The thing that he has to learn that's different for him is, he's got to learn to come in for a play and kick some ass, and then leave. Come in for a play, kick some ass, then leave. He'll get it."
Jones, who hasn't been a part-time player since his freshman year at UCLA, admitted that's been a struggle, and something he has talked with 2009 first-round pick B.J. Raji about. Raji had an ankle injury at the end of his rookie preseason and also struggled with limited snaps and the fact that Packers defensive linemen aren't allowed to rush straight up the field on every play.
While he said the ankle was "a huge setback," Jones said Friday his ankle is fine now and he "finally got over my hump" and is healthy.
Even defensive coordinator Dom Capers acknowledged that with first-round picks like Jones "the expectation level's always extremely high," but added that Jones might have had his best week of practice this week.
"(People) think that being a first-round pick, I should be able to come in and just get sacks and this that and the other, but that's not the case. I'm still learning. I'm still competing," Jones said. "I'm competing for playing time so I can show what I can do in the run game on first and second down. "
"I do have career goals here, and I want to be a great player, so every day I come out and compete, I have fun, fly around. I don't want to be a one-hit wonder."
Jason Wilde wrote: