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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.
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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.