Browns Make Major Tweak to Deion Jones' Contract After Trade

The Cleveland Browns shook up their defense last week by acquiring linebacker Deion Jones from the Atlanta Falcons. The former Pro-Bowler was slated to be signed through until the end of the 2023 NFL season, however, ESPN's Field Yates reveals that's no longer the case.

Yates reports that the Browns and Jones have come to a mutual agreement to "eliminate the 2023 season from his contract." In other words, the veteran linebacker will become a free agent once the 2022 campaign comes to an end.

Deion Jones Contract

Jones restructured his contract with the Falcons this offseason, which would've seen him carry a $12 million salary along with a $700,000 bonus in 2023. Spotrac estimates that the Browns will only have $4.4 million in cap space next season, so agreeing to terminate 2023 from Jones' contract makes sense financially.

Besides, Jones has a lot to prove this season before he's worth $12 million again. Last season was a down year for the former 2016 second-rounder and he's yet to play a game this season as he's coming off a shoulder injury.

It'd be fantastic for the Browns if Jones could return to his Pro-Bowl form. Despite the defense looking promising on paper, Cleveland is tied for the second-worst scoring defense (27.2 PPG) and has given up an average of 399 total yards over the last three weeks (sixth-worst).

Sunday's 38-15 loss to the New England Patriots was the perfect example of why Cleveland acquired Jones. The Browns gave up exactly 399 total yards in the loss and were outscored 28-9 in the second half alone.

The last time fans saw him, Jones recorded 137 tackles, six defended passes and two sacks in 16 games with the Falcons last season. Time will prove if he's ready to return to form and helps the Browns turn their season around before it's too late.

Browns vs Ravens Week 7

Barring any setbacks, the hope is that Jones can suit up against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7. FanDuel Sportsbook's latest NFL odds show how bad the Browns could use the boost, listing them as the 6.5-point road underdogs against the Ravens, who have -112 odds to cover the spread.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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