Cowboys Trade 'Rumor': Falcons LB Deion Jones as Micah Parsons Helper?
A recent trade "rumor'' (suggestion) has the Dallas Cowboys trying to make a move for once-upon-a-time star Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deion Jones. would he make sense as a Micah Parsons helper?
Jones has been a playmaker with the Falcons for the last six seasons. In that time, he has accumulated 652 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, 11 interceptions, and a whopping five pick-sixes.
He burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2016 when he made the NFL All-Rookie Team, following this up with a Pro Bowl appearance in 2017. However, since 2017, he has alternated between injury and slowed-down play speed. And now he's fallen out of favor with the Falcons, to the point that Bleacher Report believes the move would only take a sixth-round draft selection.
What are the obstacles here? As B/R writes: "If the Cowboys are willing to make a trade, Deion Jones of the Atlanta Falcons is a target who makes perfect sense, so long as Dallas is willing to take on some of the $24.9 million in dead money remaining on his contract.''
Yeah, that's a "no.'' Jones would come to Dallas as a non-starter, with Leighton Vander Esch and Jabril Cox already in place and basically competing for just one first-team slot. There is no indication that Dallas is "willing to take on'' that sort of salary weight.
Also a "no'': The idea that this makes "perfect sense.'' There is nothing "perfect'' about a fading talent, presently on PUP, who is no longer wanted by his team ... and there is nothing "perfect'' about the finances. Indeed, Jones' greatest drawback is his albatross contract. Prior to the start of the 2019 season, he signed a four-year $57 million contract extension -- of this, he is slated to have a cap hit of $20 million in 2022 and $18.5 million in 2023. This accompanies dead cap of roughly $25 million in 2022 and $5.3 million in 2023.
There are far better ideas out there if and when Dallas decides to pull the trigger on help, from Anthony Barr (a presently too-pricy playmaker) to the likes of Dont'a Hightower (who might be an affordable run-stop helper). In the end, in Dallas, coordinator Dan Quinn can help make the call on one of his old Falcons' talents ... But the finances make this almost not worthy of the call at all.
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