After allowing 465 yards of offense in a Week 5 defeat, the Cleveland Browns are adding some defensive reinforcements.
The Browns are acquiring former Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Cleveland is sending a 2024 NFL Draft sixth-round selection to Atlanta for Jones and a 2024 seventh-round pick, Rapoport added.
The trade has since been announced by both teams.
Jones, a 2017 Pro Bowler for the Falcons, has yet to play this year as he was placed on injured reserve prior to the season's kickoff after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.
A 2016 second-round pick, Jones' quick rise helped the Falcons' run to the Super Bowl in his rookie year. But Jones' play waned in recent years, as evidenced by his 34.6 overall Pro Football Focus grade in 2021.
Thus, the Falcons move on and the Browns get a tackling machine in the middle, who's had north of 100 tackles in five of his six previous seasons.
Atlanta will carry a $12.14 million dead cap hit in 2023 from Jones, who has no contract guarantees beyond 2022, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported. The Browns, in turn, owe Jones $1.39 million over the rest of the season, plus $31,250 for each game he's active, Pelissero added.
Jones restructured his contract before this season, and his base salary of just more than $1 million for 2022 is what Cleveland will inherit as it tries to spark its defense.
