Deion Jones

Career StatsF

Year	Team	GP	Tkl	Sacks	INT
Career		128	761	12.0	13
2025		17	29	0.0	0
2024		2	1	0.0	0
2023		13

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Buccaneers locked up solid depth insurance at linebacker with Deion Jones earning a B- CVI on his one-year, $1.3M deal — a clear value play for Tampa Bay's defense. At this price point, Jones represents exceptional bang-for-buck as a depth piece who can step into meaningful snaps without breaking the salary structure, especially considering he was a two-time Pro Bowler earlier in his career with Atlanta. The veteran linebacker may have lost a step from his elite days, but his football IQ and coverage skills still translate at the NFL level, making this minimal financial commitment a shrewd roster move. The one-year structure gives both sides flexibility — Jones can prove he belongs on a contender while the Bucs avoid long-term risk on an aging defender coming off inconsistent seasons. Tampa Bay essentially acquired a former franchise-caliber player for replacement-level money, creating significant upside potential if Jones can recapture even a fraction of his prime form in their defensive system.

Performance Analysis

Deion Jones earns an F for the Buccaneers at linebacker, a former Pro Bowl player whose career has deteriorated to the point of irrelevance. Jones was once one of the fastest and most dynamic linebackers in football, but injuries and declining play have erased that version of him. He has bounced between teams without making an impact, and Tampa Bay has not seen any of the playmaking ability that once made him special. The speed and instincts that defined his prime have completely vanished. Jones's career arc is one of the sadder stories among recent NFL defenders — the talent was elite, and the decline was swift.

Current Sentiment

Deion Jones enters 2026 with mixed perception reflecting a veteran linebacker attempting to reclaim relevance after injury concerns. The headlines suggest cautious optimism rather than confidence, with media framing centered on whether he can 'return to form'—language that acknowledges past decline rather than celebrating current production. His $1.3M salary and nine-year tenure indicate the Buccaneers view him as a depth piece or role player rather than a cornerstone defender, positioning him as a reclamation project rather than a cornerstone rebuild. While there is no hostile coverage or calls for his removal, the absence of genuine enthusiasm in recent beat reporting—alongside the framing of the team 'bracing for absences'—suggests he is not a priority in Tampa Bay's 2026 plans. Overall perception lands in neutral-to-cautiously-optimistic territory, befitting a journeyman contributor whose best years are likely behind him.