Cowboys Ex Byron Jones Moves to Dolphins (as Highest-Paid CB in NFL History)

Cornerback Byron Jones is leaving the Dallas Cowboys via NFL free agency and will apparently become the highest-paid cornerback in league history as he joins the Miami Dolphins for a reported $16.5 million APY.

Since entering the league as a first-round pick by the Cowboys in 2015, Jones has been a pivotal piece of the defense. But Dallas judged the one-time Pro Bowl selection to have a "ceiling'' - and to have a deficiency when it comes to ball-hawking - and therefore had no intention of matching the expected high price for him.

Jones is of the highest quality in so many ways, as a person and as a player. But Dallas will move on at cornerback, quite possibly both by signing a Tier-2 free agent in the coming days and by drafting one high at the end of April in the NFL Draft.

From our breaking news coverage: The #Dolphins made CB Byron Jones, formerly of the #Cowboys, the highest-paid CB in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/APKt1MqcdG
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2020

Last May, it was Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard who set the bar as the highest-paid cornerback in league history, netting himself $76.5 million over five years. Per Ian Rapoport's report here, Jones is going to exceed that APY number. ... and indeed, ESPN is reporting the totals: It's a five-year, $82.5 million deal, including $57 million guaranteed, and it includes $40 million in first two years. That's $16.5 mil APY ... as big as it gets.

Meanwhile, of course, the Cowboys are saving their cap space for the prioritized duo of quarterback Dak Prescott or wide receiver Amari Cooper - though on this Day 1 of NFL free agency, Dallas was unable to secure a deal with either, making Dak the franchise-tagged player and allowing Amari to hit the open market.