Panthers Releasing LB Deion Jones

According to Adam Schefter, the Panthers are releasing veteran LB Deion Jones.

He had caught on with Carolina earlier during training camp as the Panthers looked for a veteran boost to their inside linebacker group. It appears Jones wasn’t exactly what they were looking for. 

It’s worth noting that Jones does not have to pass through waivers as a veteran player and sometimes teams cut veterans with the intention of bringing them back quickly. 

Jones, 28, is a former second-round pick of the Falcons back in 2016. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $4.546 million contract and set to make a base salary of $1.07 million for the 2019 season when he agreed to a four-year, $57 million extension that includes $34 million guaranteed. 

Jones was set to make base salaries of $9.64 million and $12 million in the final two years of the deal when he agreed to a restructured deal that voided the final year. Atlanta later traded him to the Browns for a late-round pick swap in 2024. 

In 2022, Jones appeared in 11 games for the Browns and recorded 44 total tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, one interception and three pass deflections. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 71 linebacker out of 81 qualifying players.