NFL veteran linebacker Deion Jones has signed a new contract with the Carolina Panthers. Jones, a one-time Pro Bowl selection, spent the 2022 season with both the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns.
Former Falcons’ LB Deion Jones, who spent seven seasons in Atlanta, is returning to the NFC on a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 31, 2023
Deion Jones, Carolina Panthers, Agree to Contract
The 2022 season was a strange one for Deion Jones. The linebacker spent the entirety of the offseason with the Atlanta Falcons, but landed on injured reserve prior to Week 1. That didn’t spell the end of his season, however, as Jones eventually returned to the football field – just not for the Falcons.
In late October, the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons agreed to a trade that sent Jones and a 2024 seventh-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick. The Browns activated Jones from the injured reserve, and Jones ended up playing in 11 games while making five starts. While on the field, the former Falcon recorded 2.5 sacks, 44 tackles, six tackles-for-loss, three quarterback hits, and one interception.
Deion Jones originally entered the league as a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Selected by the Atlanta Falcons, the LSU product impressed from Day 1. Immediately earning a vital spot on the defense, Jones finished his inaugural season at the professional level with 108 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, two sacks, three interceptions, one forced fumble, 11 passes defended, and a league-leading two defensive touchdowns.
Jones improved on his impressive rookie season with an even better 2017. Starting and appearing in all 16 games, the linebacker finished the season with three interceptions, 10 passes defended, one sack, 138 tackles, and 10 tackles-for-lose while earning the first Pro Bowl nomination of his career.
Injuries limited Jones to just six games in 2018, but that didn’t stop the Falcons from signing their homegrown talent to a four-year contract prior to 2019. Unfortunately, Jones was never able to recapture the magic of his first two years and has largely been a good-but-not-great player for the past four seasons.
Main Photo: Kareem Elgazzar – USA Today Sports
