Lions Will Release Linebacker Christian Jones
In a cost-cutting move that will save the Lions over $2.5 million dollars on the 2021 salary-cap, linebacker Christian Jones is no longer going to be a part of Detroit's organization.
When the Lions handed Jones a rare midseason contract extension back in 2019, many were left scratching their heads.
With a defense that ranked in the bottom third of the league, it was befuddling why then general manager Bob Quinn wanted to continue with the same personnel moving forward heading into a critical 2020 season.
It was no secret that Quinn and former Lions head man Matt Patricia had a very specific profile that they looked for in their linebackers -- big, have length and be able to play inside and occasionally on the edge.
Elite athleticism was not paramount to the aforementioned attributes.
Jones checked off a lot of the boxes Detroit was looking for, but the unit as a whole struggled to live up to lofty expectations.
Jones was set to earn $3.17 million in 2021. He played in all 16 games last season and made 13 starts.
During his tenure in Motown, Jones recorded 177 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Additional roster moves
It was also announced on Monday that offensive lineman Russell Bodine has also been released by Detroit and defensive back Mike Ford was re-signed.
Bodine did not appear in any games last season.
His release saves Detroit $850,000 in additional salary-cap space.
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