No one in the NFL has racked up more sacks than Chandler Jones’ 107.5 since he joined the league in 2012.
Although the 32-year-old sack master is a little out of shape, he is still ready to give an instant boost to any potential fan. So where does Jones want to land when free will opens up? Where it is best used is there.
“Honestly, it’s not about the money at all,” Jones told Logan Ryan on the NFL Players podcast on the Cardinals website. “Wherever I have been in my career, I have had contracts, I have won the Super Bowl, but I think the scheme is huge. Or for me, win more championships. Again, it’s not about the money. will say that I want to go where my talents are revealed to the maximum. There were times in my career when I said that I was out of my element. I take the blame, but at the same time it’s like, “Hey, was I supposed to do this? I have enough comfort in my career and at this age to say that.”
Jones, 32, started his career with four seasons with the New England Patriots and is completing a six-year stint with the Arizona Cardinals. Along the way, he won the Super Bowl with the Pats, made four Pro Bowls, was an All-Pro twice, finished in the top three in AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting twice, and scored double-figure sacks seven times.
After being limited to five games in 2020 with a bicep injury, Jones made a triumphant comeback in 2021 when he had five sacks in the first week against the Tennessee Titans. However, this was hardly an omen of its future production. Nearly half of Jones’ 10.5 sacks for the season came in this game, and he didn’t have another sack until Week 9.
So it’s fair to assume that defenders don’t see Vance Joseph’s coordinator system as the best fit for him to maximize his talents.
“Where does Chandler Jones become Chandler Jones?” asked Jones, the fifth free agent on NFL.com’s 2022 Top 101 Free Agents list. “Where can he maximize his talent? boy? Week 1, five sacks… so you see flashes of it and I’m pretty sure there were times when people said, “Why did it disappear, where is it going?” Not to mention the game plan – I’m sure there are a lot of different things invested in it. But then again, moving on to free agency, which team maximizes Chandler Jones’ talents?”
Despite his comments, Jones still produces in Arizona, so it’s hard to imagine too many clubs that wouldn’t suit his talents, and there are a few teams that wouldn’t welcome a pass rusher with his pedigree. Among those who would jump to the forefront as potential touchdown spots are the Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, and Baltimore Ravens, as well as the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos, who are in the AFC. “The West,” which quickly took center stage in the blockbuster off-season.
For the first time in his ten-year career, Jones became a free agent. It has been sold from the Patriots to the Cardinals and has never hit the open market to this day. Known for his ability to hunt down opposition quarterbacks, Jones can now sit back and weigh his options.
“There are a lot of different things that I have to think about,” Jones said. “This is the time when I can really focus on myself and what suits me. As a free agent, in my 10-11 years of playing, I have never been able to choose which formation I want to be in or which defense. I always (was) handed to me. Not complaining, but I was drafted to the Patriots and then traded to the Arizona Cardinals. While I was in the Cardinals, I had about three defensive coordinators, one many different defensive coaches, and I never had the opportunity to say, “Hey, this is what I want to do.” I can choose which scheme I enter and that will make a huge difference in my decision.”
Despite his eye-popping statistics across the seasons, Jones’ performance is often overlooked. Jones has delivered an impressive resume, and his remaining seasons will tie a nod to his legacy and possibly be the final arbiter for potential Hall of Fame induction. He will need a strong push and a strong finish. And he will need the right fit to maximize the possibilities.