At the dawn of training camp, Brad Jones appeared to be buried on the Green Bay Packers' depth chart as the No. 5 inside linebacker.

Today, defensive coordinator Dom Capers regards him as a legitimate starter at inside linebacker.

"I like him a lot," Capers said Friday. "He's smart. He can play both the run and the pass. He can pressure some. He's a football player."

Jones moved up a notch when Desmond Bishop, the starter at weak inside linebacker, tore his hamstring off the bone Aug. 9.When D.J. Smith, Bishop's replacement, blew out his knee Oct. 14, the coaches gave the nod to Jones over Rob Francois.

After not playing a snap from scrimmage in the first five games, Jones has played 529 of a possible 533 snaps alongside strong-inside starter A.J. Hawk in base and nickel defenses and as the only linebacker in the dime defense.

Has Jones been as effective as Smith?

"I don't like to compare guys," said Capers. "I like the way we're playing defense now and what Brad's bringing to the table.

"He's a smart enough guy to understand that he won't let any stone go unturned because how many times do these opportunities present themselves? You come down here late at night and he's in there working."

Jones, 26, will become an unrestricted free agent in March when his minimum-salary contract expires if the Packers don't sign him to an extension.

Bishop, 28, will have two years left on a deal that averages $4.54 million. Hawk, 28, will have three years left on a deal that averages $6.75M.

If the Packers re-signed Jones, would it be possible for him to play strong inside in tandem with Bishop?

"I like him where he is but I think he possibly could," said Capers. "He'd play that side differently. In our scheme, you've got to be able to run and fill (on the weak inside). You like his body type over at the (weak side)."