Falcons Trade Piece Deion Jones Out For Offseason; Value Diminished?

Arthur Smith announced that Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones will miss the entire offseason workout program

The Atlanta Falcons have been at the subject of trade rumors since the beginning of the offseason with linebacker Deion Jones. Perhaps he's traded before the deadline in November, but the clock has been pushed back on a timeline to when he's dealt or released.

Falcons' coach Arthur Smith announced Thursday morning that Jones would undergo shoulder surgery this week and will miss the offseason program. Jones is expected to return before the start of training camp, but might be limited until the start of the regular season. 

Deion Jones

Deion Jones

Deion Jones

Deion Jones

Deion Jones

“We’ll see where it goes with Deion,” Smith said via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He’s got something cleaned up in the offseason. So, he’s not going to be out there anyways. He’s rehabbing. He should be ready to go by camp.”

Jones transitioned from being the team's only middle linebacker to sharing duties in the middle new coordinator Dean Pees' defense. He finished second on the team with 137 tackles and tallied six pass breakups and two sacks along the way.  

Inside linebacker was a position Atlanta addressed in the offseason following the departure of league-leading tackler Foye Oluokun in free agency. The Falcons added former Tennessee Titans first-rounder Rashaan Evans and used one of their two selections in the second round on Montana State's Troy Andersen. 

Atlanta also is expecting better results from third-year pro Mykal Walker and veteran Nick Kwiatkoski. Walker served as a rotational defender last season, recording 35 tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown in 17 games. Kwiatkowski recorded 102 total tackles and an interception in two seasons as a part-time starter for the Las Vegas Raiders.

"That room is going to be competitive,” Smith said. “Everybody is going to have to earn a spot. Like Mychal Walker, he played well for us at (weakside) linebacker in spots. Mychal was guy that developed. He kind of found a home there. It’s going to be a tough room.”

Even if Jones remains on the roster for now, his long-term status is far from guaranteed. Currently, he holds the team's highest salary-cap hit at $20 million. Jones already deferred $4 million of his $8.2 million base salary for 2021 into his salary this season. 

Deion Jones

Deion Jones

Deion Jones

Deion Jones

Deion Jones

Deion Jones

Currently, Jones has two years left on his contract with a base salary of $11.9 million in 2023 with a cap number of $18.4 million. He also has $9.4 million of his salary guaranteed for the upcoming season, making it hard to release him past the post-June 1 date.

Atlanta currently has the highest dead cap space in the league at over $63 million.

“All we’re trying to do here is get the right guys,” Smith said. “It’s competitive. And that’s the nature of the NFL. And so that room, however it shakes out. I’ve said this many times and it’s no secret, there is an open competition.”

The Falcons return to OTAs practice starting Wednesday, June 1.