The NFL’s best edge rushers, No. 10: Chandler Jones

There’s reason to believe Jones will thrive in Arizona’s more aggressive scheme. Then again, maybe his weaknesses were hidden in New England.

Jones finished fifth in the league with 12.5 sacks last season, but in March the Patriots traded him to the Cardinals to avoid paying him. That could be viewed as a little bit of a red flag, since teams rarely part with in-their-prime pass rushers (Jones is 26). From a football perspective, keep in mind that the Patriots, more than most teams, expect their edge players to perform many different tasks from play to play: chip the running back or the tight end, play the run first, etc. They are rarely asked to pin their ears back and get after the passer, even on pass-rushing downs, so there’s reason to believe Jones will thrive in Arizona’s more aggressive scheme. Then again, maybe his weaknesses were hidden in New England.