The Raiders drafted Taiwan Jones as a running back out of Eastern Washington. The Antioch native and fourth-round pick in 2011 played offense for the first two years of his NFL career.
After spending the last two years largely designated as a cornerback, Jones is returning to his original post. The Raiders said Tuesday on their team website that Jones had moved back to running back.
The fifth-year pro was moved to the defensive side of the football by then head coach Dennis Allen's staff in 2013. He spent that season re-adjusting to the cornerback position, which he hadn't played regularly since high school. The results were mixed. Jones never climbed the cornerback depth chart, though the speed demon became a stalwart on special teams.
Above all else, that role earned him a three-year, $4.355 million contract extension last offseason. Jones is finally healthy after missing 15 games last season with a foot injury.
Jones joins a running back stable that includes Latavius Murray, Trent Richardson, Roy Helu Jr. and Marecel Reece, though it's likely his main contributions will come on special teams.
Jones has limited experience at running back. He was a reserve in 2011 and '12. He also played running back in a pinch in 2013, due to injury concerns.
All told, Jones has 27 carries for 117 yards and six receptions for 91 yards as a receiver out of the backfield.
