5 Leighton Vander Esch Replacements the Cowboys Must Target

4. Deion Jones

Early in his career, Deion Jones was one of the hottest names in the NFL. He began his career under Dan Quinn, who was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons for the first four-plus seasons of his career. Jones came into the NFL with a bang, recording 108 tackles with three interceptions — two of which were pick-sixes.

He continued to thrive under Quinn, even signing a four-year, $57 million contract extension with $34 million guaranteed ahead of the 2019 campaign. He played two more seasons with the Falcons and while his numbers were still off the charts, his efficiency had declined.

This led to Jones being dealt to the Cleveland Browns, who had lost their starting middle linebacker Anthony Walker. Jones had 44 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a pick for the Browns but was not retained. Still, he showed he can come in and adapt in a hurry — and had a few impressive plays for Cleveland during his 11-game stint.

Now, Jones finds himself buried on the Carolina Panthers depth chart behind Frankie Luvu and Kamu Grugier-Hill. He's made just one appearance this year and had four tackles and a pick.

At 0-5, the Panthers are the final team in the NFL without a win and they could be eager to make a move — especially for a player who they have only used once. It wouldn't take more than a late-round pick to add Jones and his familiarity with Quinn would only help ease the transition.