Jets Could Be in Running for $57 Million Reunion With Pro Bowler

New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas said he isn’t satisfied with where his roster is at following the 2022 NFL draft.

There are always opportunities to improve the team and they will continue to turn over every rock in that pursuit.

Speaking of which a player could suddenly be available that could tickle the fancy of the green and white.

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Something to Watch

On Thursday, May 5, uStadium tweeted out that Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deion Jones “is a name to watch this summer” for a potential trade.

According to uStadium there are some people in the league that believe he “could be had” for a late-round draft choice or perhaps he could even get released.

The 27-year-old originally came into the league as the No. 52 overall pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft.

After working through his rookie contract the former LSU product re-signed with the Falcons on a juicy four-year deal worth over $57 million.

Jones still has two years remaining on that contract for $38 million and that piece of it will have to be figured out for any trade to be consummated.

Something to watch as Kevin Knight of The Falcoholic put it on Twitter, Jones could be designated as a “post-June 1 trade” which would allow Atlanta to spread the dead cap money over multiple years to make it more palatable.

Some Connective Tissue

The Jets would make plenty of sense as a landing spot on multiple fronts.

They have an opening in the starting linebacking corps that Jones could slide into. Also, there is some real connective tissue between the Falcons star and a prominent member of the Gang Green coaching staff.

Prior to Jeff Ulbrich assuming the duties as the defensive coordinator under head coach Robert Saleh he spent six years with the Dirty Birds.

During that time, Ulbrich was the linebacker’s coach and was with Jones from the moment he was drafted through the first five years of his career before he joined the Jets.

He was part of the team that scouted, identified, and then drafted Jones in the second round. Ulbrich was also a part of the development team that took him to the next level in the pros:

• 8.5 sacks
• 652 total tackles
• 44 pass deflections
• Five touchdowns
• 11 interceptions

Jones is an athletic piece of clay that has a body that was chiseled out of stone. He is coming off a tough year and it is no coincidence that was the first season he wasn’t under Ulbrich’s leadership.

Perhaps reconnecting with the old coach that got him to the Pro Bowl back in 2017 is exactly what his career needs to get back on track.

No one knows him better than Ulbrich, the Jets have a clear need, and the price to acquire him would be marginal.

This is one of those potential deals that makes too much sense not to happen at some point this offseason.

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