Falcons' Deion Jones Trade Details Revealed; What Did Atlanta Get in Return?

Former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deion Jones has a new home with the Cleveland Browns. But what was the cost to pry Jones away from his original NFL home?

Jeremy Brener | Oct 10, 2022

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The Atlanta Falcons are in the first day of the post-Deion Jones era.

On Sunday night, the Falcons traded their longtime linebacker to the Cleveland Browns and a 2024 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick.

With five other inside linebackers on the roster, the end of Jones' tenure in Atlanta was written on the wall, especially after undergoing shoulder surgery in the offseason.

Jones was a popular trade candidate during the offseason, but the team couldn't find a willing suitor before the start of the season. The Falcons could have saved a ton of money by trading him after June 1, but Atlanta was forced to hold onto him for a little bit after his injury.

Jones returned to practice by the end of training camp, but he was placed on Injured Reserve (IR) to start the season.

"Our goal in every decision is to improve our organization for the long term and we believe today's agreement does just that," general manager Terry Fontenot wrote in a statement. "We are constantly evaluating the roster, looking at every single position and how we can improve overall, which is a 365-days-a-year process our entire football operation is focused on. We thank Deion for the impact he has had over his seven seasons in Atlanta and wish him the best on his career."

By making the trade now, Atlanta holds a cap hit of over $12 million on Jones for next season, while the Browns will only pay around $1.4 million for his salary this season.

Jones will now join the Browns, where he'll have a chance to contribute soon on a team eyeing the postseason.

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Published Oct 10, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.