Just moments after James Bradberry agreed to sign with the Giants, another top cornerback has been taken off the market. Byron Jones has inked a deal with the Dolphins, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). It’s a five-year, $82.5 million deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The deal includes $57MM guaranteed and $40MM through the first two seasons.
The contract will make Jones the highest-paid player at his position, with the deal paying him $16.5MM annually. We heard last week that the market for the cornerback was expected to “start” at $16-17MM per year. Jones new teammate, Xavien Howard, previously led all cornerbacks with a $15.05MM annual salary.
ESPN’s Josina Anderson tweets that the Dolphins were willing to give Jones more guaranteed money than rival suitors, while Rapoport notes that the Raiders made a competitive offer to the defensive back (via Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area). Further, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets that both Miami and Vegas offered “huge money in tax-free states,” but Miami’s structure of up-front money appealed to Jones.
A number of teams, including the Raiders, Broncos, Lions, Eagles, Giants, and Jets, had been connected to Jones at some point during the offseason. The Cowboys had expressed some optimism in retaining the Pro Bowler. However, the Cowboys had some bigger fish to fry with both Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper, and it’s uncertain if they could afford Jones’ new pact, anyway.
Jones, 27, played safety during his first three years in Dallas but switched to corner in 2018, promptly earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. In 2019, Jones started 14 games for the Cowboys, and ranked 14th in both Pro Football Focus‘ CB grades and Football Outsiders‘ success rate metric.
the Dolphins are drunk
When they signed Flowers and Lawson sure. Not Jones. Their secondary has a chance to be the best in the leauge
Must be following the money. Philly has a better shot at the postseason than Miami
I mean…philly isn’t some terrible team. They play in arguably one of the easiest divisions to hit the playoffs.
Was not expecting this
Given that Goodell was making subtlety veiled remarks not long ago about the league’s concern that Miami was possibly tanking it’s not really surprising that the Dolphins would throw big bucks around to disprove those suggestions.
As an Eagle fan I wanted Jones, but not for $17mil a year. That’s nuts
I do not understand what Miami is doing. Flowers and lawson are atrocious signings at 10/yr and now this. I don’t know the numbers, but it’s probable the dolphins have the two highest paid corners now. They’ve blown half their cap space on two former 1st round busts and a luxury position. Just when you think they are making moves with an eye to the future, they go and do this.
Wanted him on the Raiders. But not for that. Free agency is a fools errand.
Same here. He’d have fit pretty well for us.
For a guy who had zero INTs last year.
He played press man with his back to the ball like 75% of the time. Is he supposed to intercept the ball with his back?
At $17MM a year he better catch that ball with his butt cheeks.
cowboys fans agree
Well all 1 of his INTs are headed to Miami.
Tip my hat to Byron, and glad he’s in the AFC.
It’s one of those, I see why it makes sense but…I could see this move blowing up in their face. They could keep Jones at safety to roam centerfield or put him opposite Howard to form a good coverage tandem. But if they don’t create a pass rush or get better at safety, this move won’t matter.
Jones is an athletic guy but he’s never put the numbers together to justify this much money. This is another one of those issues with a team that has too much cap space and knows it can’t land anyone they want. They land names but ones that will be hard pressed to fulfill their contracts.
Hey at least they have the 2 highest paid Haha wow
Reminds me of when they overpaid for Suh or Mike Wallace or Brandon Marshall etc etc Miami has not changed
A reminder to all the fools commenting in here…the Dolphins still have 14 draft picks coming to them
All these comments from the haters are going to look pretty funny in a couple years. Hope they will all be ready to eat some crow.
Gross overpay to play on what maybe a 4 to 5 win team. This team makes so many stupid decisions. They will never be relivent!