It’s no secret the Miami Dolphins have a huge hole to fill with the departure of Olivier Vernon. Mario Williams is obviously a well-known, big named pass-rusher, but he is arguably passed his prime. More depth was definitely necessary, and it had to come via free agency after the Dolphins didn’t select a single defensive lineman in the draft.
Fortunately, the Dolphins were able to find some depth in 29-year-old free agent Jason Jones. Miami signed the veteran defensive end to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million. At this point in free agency and at that price, he is a nice addition.
Back in March,
Pro Football Focus ranked Jones the seventh-best free agent defensive end. Williams, Miami’s big free-agent signing, wasn’t even on PFF’s top 10 list. For those readers into the PFF numbers, Jones received a 2015 grade of 76.6 while Williams had a mark of 50.1. For some perspective, Vernon received a grade of 92.5, the highest among free agent defensive ends.
Even still,
PFF doesn’t necessarily believe Jones should be a starter.
Jones’ run defense has never been up to the standards you might expect of a defensive end his size, and that may limit his value on the open market. A steady performer, Jones would benefit from being in a rotational role to maximize his effectiveness, rather than expecting him to be consistently productive in a full-time starters’ role.
That appears to be how the Dolphins plan to use Jones. He can rotate into the game when either Williams or Cameron Wake need a rest. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph could also insert Jones on third downs or in the fourth quarter when the Dolphins have a lead, using him mostly as a pass-rushing specialist. Jones also has experience playing defensive tackle, so his versatility should be useful. He should find playing time when Suh needs a breather too.
Interestingly, Jones is the second former Lions defender the Dolphins have signed this offseason and the third one in the last two offseasons. Miami signed safety Isa Abdul-Quddus, who started all 16 games the last two years in Detroit, to a three-year deal in March. Last season, the Dolphins famously signed Suh to the biggest contract for a defensive player in NFL history.
