Deion Jones Trade: Could Falcons Find Trade Partner With Commanders?

The Falcons need to save money and the Commanders need a linebacker.

Jeremy Brener | May 14, 2022

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.

Deion Jones

In addition, the team signed Rashaan Evans earlier in the offseason to join team veterans Mykal Walker and Deion Jones.

But, Jones' future with the team appears to be in jeopardy after adding three linebackers this offseason.

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.

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. Chances are, he's reached out to the Washington Commanders.

The Commanders are in need of a linebacker, as Ron Rivera is looking to add a veteran to the linebacker room.

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.

Deion Jones

There aren't many teams that need a linebacker as much as the Commanders, and there aren't many teams that would pay up for someone like Jones. Washington just might be that team.

Published May 14, 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.