To say that Chandler Jones has failed to live up to the lofty expectations the Las Vegas Raiders had on him when they signed him to a massive $52.5 million deal last year would be an understatement. The former All-Pro defensive end just didn’t look like his old self in his debut season last term, and the Raiders‘ woes were further compounded by the fact that the 33-year-old has not played a single snap this season for Las Vegas.
Chandler Jones Heads to New Orleans
At this point, you can’t help but ask if Las Vegas should consider pulling the plug on their failed Chandler Jones experiment. In case they decide to do so, Matthew Schmidt of NFL Analysis Network believes that the Raiders could look in the direction of the New Orleans Saints for a potential blockbuster deal.
Below are the details of his proposed trade:
New Orleans gets: Chandler Jones
Las Vegas gets: 2024 third-round pick
That’s a pretty straight-up deal. Schmidt points out that New Orleans could emerge as buyers before the deadline as they look to make a strong push for the NFC South title this term:
“The Saints are currently 2-0 and play in a terribly weak NFC South, so a division title is well within reach for the team. For that reason, you can certainly see New Orleans trying to add some pieces to its roster in the coming weeks,” Schmidt wrote.
Jones could fit the bill for them. While there’s no denying that he has been a shadow of his former self, the Hall of Fame All-2010s Team member still appears to have a lot of gas left in the tank. The fresh start could be exactly what he needs, and this is something New Orleans can offer him as they look to make a significant upgrade in their pass-rushing.
Las Vegas, on the other hand, gets a pretty sweet asset in exchange for a player who isn’t even playing. As far as cutting their losses go, this isn’t a bad deal at all.
Will Chandler Jones Play for the Las Vegas Raiders Again?
On Monday, Jones revealed via a social media post that he was hospitalized “against his will.” This further compounds the four-time Pro Bowler’s issues with Las Vegas, who to be fair, have been supportive amid Jones’ reported mental health issues.
There appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel in terms of Jones’ holdout with the Raiders. It’s not even clear why he isn’t playing in the first place. Given all the uncertainty, it would not be a complete shock if we don’t see him dawn a Raiders jersey ever again.
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