The 2022 NFL season is quickly approaching and next week, and a host of teams across the league will be holding their mandatory mini camps, including the Atlanta Falcons, who will be at Flowery Branch Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and one player that will not participate is Deion Jones, as he continues to rehab his shoulder. Last month, Falcons head coach, Arthur Smith, told reporters that Jones is expected to be away from the team for the remainder of the offseason programs and that began to raise concern with some on the future of the linebacker with the Falcons.
On Friday, Jon Chuckery was joined by Atlanta Journal Constitution beat reporter, D. Orlando Ledbetter, and the two began their conversation on Jones as Chuckery asked Ledbetter to share his thoughts on what the Falcons mindset maybe in regards to Jones. “I don’t think they’re in the mindset of cutting him,” Ledbetter told Chuckery, although, Jones and the Falcons have yet to come to terms on his contract and despite that, Ledbetter went on to say that he believes that the Falcons may look to have Jones “compete for his job and maybe being part of some different packages and so forth”.
As the conversation continued, Ledbetter pointed out the fact that Jones has yet to have been heard from in regards to the status of his role with the team, but he should expect to have to “earn his job. He’s going to have to beat out somebody to get his job back”. Jones is expected to make his way to Flowery Branch for physicals next week and if so, we could hear from him at that time on his thoughts on where things sit with him and the Falcons. Click link above to hear the interview in its entirety.