Redskins Free Agency: Previewing what will happen with the Redskins free agent defensive linemen
DL Arthur Jones
Some may not even know that Arthur Jones is on the Redskins. That’s how short his stint with the team was this season. If you blinked, you missed him. He was signed to provide defensive line depth in the wake of Matt Ioannidis’ hand injury. He came to the squad before the Seattle game and was expected to be a rotational player.
Jones was once a solid starter at the NFL level during his time with the Baltimore Ravens. He is the brother of Chandler Jones, the star pass rusher for the Arizona Cardinals, and has had a solid NFL career to date. However, in recent seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, he had been plagued by injuries that sapped him of his effectiveness. He missed 15 games in his two seasons in Indy, and that really is what led to him and the team parting ways after the 2016 season.
When Jones signed with the Redskins, there was optimism that he could hold down the fort until Ioannidis was fully healthy. However, his health ended up failing. During the Seattle game, his first with the Redskins, Jones suffered a shoulder injury that was deemed to be season ending. He was only able to play a total of 26 snaps for the whole season.
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Jones is still a player with a bit upside. He’s going to turn 32 before the start of the next season, but some team may be willing to take him on as a reclamation project. He could become a decent rotational rusher and if he can shore up his run defense, that would allow him to become a quality backup end in a 3-4 scheme. It’s unlikely that will be in Washington, as he was just an emergency signing midway through the season.
Some teams that could have interest in Jones include the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs. Either could use an experienced backup with upside, so having him on the 90-man roster would make sense.