Falcons Convert LB Deion Jones' Salary; Trade Implications?

The Falcons moved one step closer to making Jones' more tradeable.

USA Today

The Atlanta Falcons have made a financial decision on former Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones, but it's not the one that many predicted.

According to ESPN, the Falcons converted $8.5 million of Jones' salary into a bonus for $6.8 million, adding three void years to his contract. As a result, Jones will receive his money sooner rather than later.

However, the Falcons didn't necessarily do this to accommodate Jones. The move frees up nearly $7 million in cap space for Atlanta to work with, while also meaning that, if Jones is traded, the team that acquires his services will only take on $1.14 million in cap space.

Jones was the subject of rumors throughout the offseason, be it trade or cut related, but ultimately found himself back on the field for the Falcons in the preseason. However, he was placed on the injured reserve (IR) prior to the start of the regular season, as the Falcons felt he wasn't ready to return.

Despite the widely held view that Jones wouldn't be back, the former LSU star admitted he hadn't heard any of the rumors during the offseason.

"I didn't even see (the rumors)," Jones claimed. "If I would've known something, if it was something serious, (head coach) Art (Smith) would've called me, my agent would've called me. Other than that, I was just locked in getting my body back."

Jones was a 16-game starter last year, finishing with 137 tackles, one shy of matching his career high total. Despite his productive campaign, Jones struggled to hold up against blockers, with his down-to-down impact ultimately not being what his cap hit and numbers would suggest.

Already entering the offseason without much positive momentum, Jones missed a majority of the programs, including all of OTAs and nearly the first month of training camp, recovering from shoulder surgery.

For as much of a rollercoaster as Jones has been on since the 2021 season, he's still started 83 of 85 games he's appeared in as a professional. He's been a shoo-in starter since finishing third in the Defensive Rookie of the Year race in 2016.

However, with Mykal Walker and Rashaan Evans having firm holds on the linebacker spot and Jones being something of a square peg in a round hole in defensive coordinator Dean Pees' defense, a transaction felt inevitable.

While the converted bonus isn't the nail in the coffin of Jones' Atlanta tenure, it certainly seems like it pulls the two sides much closer to parting ways.

You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Falcons? Click Here.

Follow Falcon Report on Twitter.