Six years after replacing Luke Kuechly on the NFC Pro Bowl team, one veteran defender is heading to Kuechly’s former club.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Monday that linebacker Deion Jones is signing with the Carolina Panthers. Jones has agreed to a one-year deal with the team, Schefter adds.
The 28-year-old Jones had the best run of his career elsewhere in the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons. He played for the Falcons from 2016-22 and was a Pro Bowler in 2017 (recording a team-high 138 combined tackles that year plus 10 passes defended, three interceptions, and a sack).
Though Jones did not quite look like himself last season with the Cleveland Browns (after offseason shoulder surgery sidelined him for the first several weeks), he is still an impactful presence in the middle of the field.
Deion Jones pick-six on Derek Carr 😤
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/viC0dsd3b6
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 29, 2020
Deion Jones: 82.8 coverage grade since 2018
5th among LBs 🔒
🗣UNDERRATED pic.twitter.com/dmJCa2Fz7j
— PFF (@PFF) July 30, 2021
Deion Jones exemplifies rare movement skills at off-ball linebacker.
There simply aren't a lot of other NFL linebackers that can fly sideline to sideline and effectively fill zones behind them in coverage.pic.twitter.com/RFQnqUhWbW
— Austin Gayle (@austingayle_) May 3, 2020
Outside of Shaq Thompson and Frankie Luvu, the Panthers are a bit soft at linebacker. While they already look exciting on the other side of the ball, Carolina is now adding some much-needed experience to their defense.
