Countdown to Kickoff: Profile on Arizona Cardinals No. 55 Chandler Jones

The Countdown to Kickoff series continues on with a look at Arizona Cardinals major off season addition Chandler Jones, who could be a big-time boost for an already loaded defensive unit.

There are exactly 55 days until the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers open up the 2016 NFL regular season with a Super Bowl rematch. In the meantime, we at NFL Spin Zone are going to profile a player each day as we countdown the days to kickoff.

The Countdown to Kickoff series began with a look at No. 99 Joey Bosa and has continued on everyday since (check out all of the posts here).

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Linebackers Vontaze Burfict, Anthony Barr and Terrell Suggs gave us many worthy choices at number 55, but I decided to go with an impact defensive player who has switched teams this off season.

He wore number 95 in Foxborough, but has 55 on his back with the Arizona Cardinals. Let’s take a look at new Cardinals defensive end Chandler Jones.

Seemingly always looking for an impact outside rusher, the Cardinals acquired Jones in a trade with the New England Patriots this off season. With Jones set to hit free agency after the 2016 season and Jabaal Sheard coming on in a big way, moving Jones made sense for the Patriots, creating an opportunity for Arizona.

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In exchange for Jones, the Cardinals sent former top ten pick OG Jonathan Cooper and their 2016 second-round pick to the Patriots. It may seem like a high price for one year of a player, but Jones is coming off of a 12.5-sack season in 2015, the fifth-highest total in the NFL.

He is a legitimate impact outside pass rusher whose skills will certainly come in handy for Arizona in 2016. That being said, it is not a given that Jones can build on his success with the Patriots last season.

Through his four years in the NFL, Jones has been a productive, yet inconsistent player. Sure, the 12.5 sacks last season were great, but Jones struggled with injuries in 2014 and totaled only six sacks. He put up 11.5 sacks as a second-year player in 2013, but only had six in a full-time role as a rookie in 2012.

If we follow the trends, Jones is due for a down year in 2016. While he may have turned a corner last season with the Patriots, it is certainly fair to wonder whether he will continue producing at a high-level with the Cardinals in 2016.

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That being said, with so much talent around him in the Cardinals’ defense, Jones could certainly come in and make a major impact. He is undoubtedly a talented player who shows a nice mix of quickness and athleticism on the outside, and the Cardinals will find a great way to use him.

Jones has typically lined up as a defensive end in the Patriots’ 4-3 defense. He does have plenty of experience lining up as a pass rushing outside linebacker, but his role in Arizona is going to be different from what he is used to.

I am sure that Jones will line-up plenty as an outside linebacker, but his overall skills and versatility will allow him to play many different roles. The Cardinals would be wise to use him as a three-technique defensive tackle at times, where his quickness and athleticism on the inside will give him a massive edge.

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Lining him up outside in four-man front sub packages would also be an extremely familiar pass rushing situation for Jones. He is an extremely gifted player who the Cardinals can use in a variety of roles.

While he has been inconsistent in the past, Jones’ upside in his new defensive home is absolutely massive.