The Atlanta Falcons have traded former Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones to the Cleveland Browns for a late-round draft pick, according to a report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
Jones, 27, started 83 games for the Falcons since being selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft out of LSU. When the season began, the team placed Jones on injured reserve and later restructured his contract.
Sources: The #Browns are adding some key help in the middle of their defense, trading for #Falcons Pro Bowl LB Deion Jones in exchange for late-round draft compensation. pic.twitter.com/jaogjvtjy8
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 10, 2022
This trade helps give the Falcons some long-term clarity as they get out of Jones’ contract, and the Browns are getting a former Pro Bowl player who should be motivated for very little money.
As Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network points out below, the Falcons will carry a dead cap hit of $12.14 million in 2023, but Jones has no guaranteed money beyond 2022.
The #Falcons will carry a $12.14 million dead cap hit in 2023 from Deion Jones, who has no guarantees remaining on his contract beyond 2022.
The #Browns owe Jones about $1.39 million in salary for the rest of this season, plus $31,250 for each game he's active.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 10, 2022
According to Over The Cap’s projections, the Falcons have $7,791,023 in cap space after trading Jones. As for the compensation, Albert Breer is reporting Atlanta will receive a 2024 sixth-round pick from Cleveland in exchange for Jones and a 2024 seventh-round pick.
Full terms of the Falcons/Browns deal (trade first reported by @RapSheet), per source …
Browns get: LB Deion Jones, 2024 7th-round pick.
Falcons get: 2024 6th-round pick.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 10, 2022
