49ers defensive tackle D.J. Jones, a 2017 sixth-rounder who agreed to remain with San Francisco on a one-year, $3.5M pact back in March, is enjoying a breakout campaign. He has positioned himself well for a lucrative, multi-year contract this offseason, and he knows it.
As Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes, Jones did not give a canned, cliched answer when recently asked if he was thinking about his upcoming payday.
“The way I’m playing, yes sir,” Jones said. “I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say that. … I want to retire my father and mother from the barbecue business. I want to make sure my sisters don’t have to do another thing, as long they invest the money that I provide correctly. I completely understand the situation I’m in. I’m not going to say that’s why I’m balling. I’m doing my job for my team. Those are rewards.”
Jones offers a rare combination of strength and speed, and through 12 games in 2021, he has already matched or set career highs in tackles (42) and tackles for loss (seven). He has just one sack, and Pro Football Focus’ metrics paint him as a so-so pass rusher, but his high scores as a run stopper help counterbalance any deficiencies in that regard. His overall score of 75.7 positions him as the 15th-best interior defender in the league out of 127 qualifiers.
Despite his modest draft status, Jones has developed a reputation as one of the game’s most difficult-to-move D-linemen, a reputation that he credits to his weight room efforts.
“Not bragging, not boasting, but I’ve always been the strongest guy wherever I’ve been,” Jones said. “I feel like that strength comes from endless hours in the weight room. And dedicating myself.”
Branch expects that the 49ers will prioritize a Jones re-up this offseason, and Jones is certainly amenable to continuing his career in the Bay Area.
“I would love to stay here,” he said. “I would love to be a 49er for the rest of my career. It’s as simple as that. But we’ll cross that bridge when it comes time.”
WFT’s Jonathan Allen, Jones’ draft mate, has generated higher sack totals and did not take as long as Jones to come into his own. However, the four-year, $72M extension ($35.6M guaranteed) that Allen signed in July could provide a reasonable benchmark for Jones, even if he doesn’t quite hit those numbers.
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