The Arizona Cardinals have agreed to sign Chicago Bears defensive tackle Justin Jones, according to Peter Schrager of Fox Sports.
It’s a three-year, $30.1 million deal that features $19.75 million in guaranteed money.
Jones is coming off of a 2023 campaign in which he played every game and registered 49 tackles, 4.5 sacks and four passes defended.
The 27-year-old, who played his collegiate football at North Carolina State, was originally selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
He appeared in 15 contests during his rookie year but barely made an impact, logging 17 tackles and a half of a sack.
The following year, Jones played 12 games and became a full-time starter, finishing with 30 tackles and a forced fumble. He then posted similar numbers in 2020, registering 34 tackles and a sack.
He finally began to show signs of breaking through in 2021, recording 37 tackles, three sacks and a couple of fumble recoveries.
That ensuing offseason, Jones signed with the Bears, and he proceeded to play a full 17-game campaign in his debut season with the club. He continued to display growth that year, posting 52 tackles, three sacks, a fumble recovery and four passes defended.
The Cardinals are in desperate need of defensive assistance, as they ranked 25th in the league in yards allowed in 2023. They also finished dead last in run defense, so obviously, adding an interior defensive lineman like Jones will definitely help.
Arizona went just 4-13 this past year and has made the playoffs just once since 2016.
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