In exchange for Cleveland’s 2024 sixth-round pick, Atlanta will send Jones and their seventh-round pick to Cleveland. We congratulate Deion for the influence he has had throughout his seven seasons in Atlanta and wish him the best in his career, according to a statement from Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot.
9 OCTOBER: The time Deion Jones spent in Atlanta is over. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Falcons are sending the Pro Bowl linebacker to the Browns in return for late-round selection compensation. According to a tweet from ESPN’s Jake Trotter, the teams will switch Day 3 picks in 2024.
Given the enormity of his deal, the 27-year-old has long been the target of trade rumors. According to Rapoport, Cleveland will take on the remaining obligations of his contract, but as a result of a recent restructure, they will only be responsible for paying his $1.14MM base salary in 2022.
However, the fact that Jones still had three years left on his contract with budget hits of more than $13 million this year and more than $20 million the following makes this another excellent business decision from the Falcons’ perspective. According to Tom Pelissero, a colleague of Rapoport’s, the team will face a dead cap charge of $12.14MM in 2023. (Twitter link). The Browns were able to make this purchase since there will be no guaranteed money left after 2022.
Jones underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason and is currently on injured reserve. However, when he is eligible to play, he will provide the Browns’ LB group, who was without Anthony Walker for the season, an experienced presence. Jones, who has at least 100 tackles in all but one of his six NFL seasons and 11 interceptions, has a strong background in both the pass and the run.
One of many financial-driven deals for Atlanta is represented by this shift. In a move to clear room starting in 2023, the organization is already paying quarterback Matt Ryan a record-breaking dead cap charge. This trade will assist in achieving that objective, but it still marks an unimpressive conclusion to the former second-round pick’s time with the only team he had ever played for. Jones will seek to reestablish his value and contribute to a highly respected defense in Cleveland, a team with larger 2022 hopes and which, according to Rapoport, was hoping to be active on the trade market.
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