Falcons Move On Deion Jones 'Imminent', Reports Atlanta Insider
With just one week until the start of June, Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deion Jones could be seeing his tenure come to an end.
If the team trades Jones after June 1, they could save up to $14 million while only taking $5 million in dead cap.
So, likely until June 1, general manager Terry Fontenot is working up the phones to try and find a new home for Jones.
According to The Athletic, a Jones trade or release is "imminent."
After drafting Troy Andersen in the second round of last month's NFL Draft and signing Nick Kwiatkoski to a contract earlier this week, the Atlanta Falcons now find themselves extremely deep at the linebacker position.
In addition, the team signed Rashaan Evans earlier in the offseason to join team veterans Mykal Walker and Jones.
Jones, 27, is entering his 7th NFL season. He's also been to a Super Bowl, which is a valuable find. The former LSU Tiger is also coming off a season where he recorded 137 tackles, one shy of a career-high.
While keeping Jones adds a veteran presence to the defense, the money might not be worth the value.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Falcons Communications
The team also has to make financial decisions to keep the salary cap down after trading Matt Ryan and taking the largest cap hit in NFL history. After extending offensive tackle Jake Matthews and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett recently, the Falcons are going to likely need to make a difficult decision regarding Jones' deal. And it might result in a trade or release in a week's time.
