Falcon Report

Former Falcons Pro Bowler to Sign with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are bringing in a familiar face in the form of former Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones.
Clint Goss|
Former Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones is signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers according to reports.
Former Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones is signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers according to reports. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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Atlanta Falcons

Former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deion Jones is signing with the divisional rival (7-6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad according to multiple reports.

Tampa is hurting for some linebacker help, with K.J. Britt and J.J. Russell missing the matchup vs. the Las Vegas Raiders and SirVocea Dennis still on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

The team elevated Vi Jones from the practice squad to ultimately play 40 snaps in the Buccaneers’  28-13 win to take first place in the disheveled NFC South.

The Buccaneers will remember Jones, but not necessarily for the right reason.

The 30-year-old Jones has been a free agent since his August release from the Buffalo Bills. An LSU Tiger before his NFL days, it is no surprise to see the 2017 Pro Bowler find his way back to NFC South territory after a cold 2022-2024 with the Cleveland Browns (2022) and Buffalo Bills (2024). 

  • 2022 - 44 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT

Funny enough, a 2023 stint with the divisional foe Carolina Panthers leaves a final stop in Louisiana as a hometown “cycle” of the South, right? Let’s hope not.  

  • 2023 - 35 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT

A six-season veteran by the end of his time in Atlanta, Jones was a high-level caliber Falcon to surpass 100 tackles in five of his six seasons in Georgia.

His five-pick-sixes are second most in NFL history behind Karlos Dansby, Derrick Brooks, and Bobby Bell, who are all tied at six.

Consistent dominance can be statistically pinpointed: 731 tackles, 12 sacks, and 13 interceptions in 109 games (91 starts) with the Falcons (2016-21) was big time. Injuries derailed his career in Atlanta, and he was never able to find his way back to 100%. 

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Clint Goss
CLINT GOSS

Clint Goss is an NFL & SEC football writer, as well as the on-air co-host of The Falcon Fade radio show at 99.1 WDJY and lead NFL Draft Analyst for Stadium Rant. He is a Rhetoric graduate of Georgia College & State University. A Roswell resident, find Clint at Mercedes-Benz Stadium every Sunday covering the Atlanta Falcons. You can follow Clint actively on Twitter/X @NFLDraftDome

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