3 Most Likely Chandler Jones Destinations in 2022 NFL Free Agency

Chandler Jones might not be the force of nature he was when he was at the peak of his powers, but he's still one of the NFL's most dangerous pass-rushers. Set to hit free agency this offseason, the 32-year-old looks poised to sign a lucrative short-term deal with a Super Bowl contender.

Here are three of the most likely destinations for the four-time Pro Bowler this offseason.

Chandler Jones Free Agency 2022

3. Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have more pressing needs than adding another pass-rusher. Most notably, the offensive line. But Cincy has a whopping $48.7 million to spend this offseason, per Spotrac, (No. 4 in the NFL). It's not like all of that money will go to the OL, and adding Jones could really take this defense over the top. At this point in his career, you probably don't want Jones in a full three-down role, as you don't want the 32-year-old to wear down at the end of the year. We saw the 85% snap rate take its toll on Jones last season. He opened the 2021 campaign with 14 QB hits and 5 TFL through his first four games but only generated 12 QB hits and 7 TFL over his final 11 appearances. Cincinnati could easily keep Jones fresh by rotating him in with the rock-solid Sam Hubbard, and he'd form a dynamic duo opposite Trey Hendrickson (14.0 sacks in 2021). If the price is right on a short-term deal, Jones could be a sneaky-great singing for the Bengals.

2. Los Angeles Chargers

With Justin Herbert leading the way on offense, the Los Angeles Chargers would be legitimate Super Bowl contenders if they get the other side of the ball right. Signing Jones should help do just that. And LA can put together a pretty attractive pitch, as its working with the second-most available cap space in the league. Pairing up Joey Bosa and Chandler Jones would give the Chargers one of the most dangerous pass-rushing duos in football. That's a great way to hide some of the other holes on this unit. If they can land Jones, and use the rest of their considerable cap space to address the run D and secondary, LA's defense could take a huge leap next year.

1. Buffalo Bills

Returning to the AFC East to join the Buffalo Bills feels like the best-case scenario for Jones. Yes, Buffalo led the league with a 30.8% pressure rate last year. But the Bills relied on a host of different bodies to generate that pressure, as the team lacked a true No. 1 threat off the edge. Signing Jones would change that in a hurry. The former Patriot owns a whopping 83 sacks in his last six healthy seasons, good for an average of 13.8 per year. Meanwhile, the veteran Mario Addison led the Bills with just 7.0 sacks last year, but he might walk in free agency. Jones would be a big-time upgrade over Addison and Jerry Hughes, who isn't a lock to return either. And Buffalo can keep the 32-year-old fresh by rotating him in with promising second-year players like Gregory Rousseau and Carlos Basham Jr. This just feels like a perfect marriage. The only hurdle here is on the financial side of things, but Buffalo shouldn't have that much trouble clearing enough space to land Jones on a short-term deal.

Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. 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.