Saints sign veteran linebacker to complete NFC South tour
Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Deion Jones has officially completed his tour of the NFC South, and he couldn't have picked a more meaningful place to finish it.
The New Orleans Saints are signing the veteran linebacker to a one-year contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The move means Jones will have played for all four NFC South franchises during his NFL career.
“The Saints are signing veteran linebacker Deion Jones to a one-year deal. Jones now will have played for every team in the NFC South, but this might be the most meaningful. Jones was born in New Orleans, grew up there, and played high school football there before attending LSU.”
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Jones spent the majority of his career with the Atlanta Falcons, where he became one of the NFL's better linebackers. Since leaving Atlanta, he's bounced around the league while remaining heavily connected to the NFC South. Jones spent a season with the Cleveland Browns before eventually playing for the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now, he's headed home. The linebacker was born and raised in New Orleans before playing his college football at LSU, making this opportunity about much more than simply adding another team to his résumé. At 31 years old, Jones could still have something left in the tank. The Saints don't need him to become the player he was during his prime in Atlanta. If Jones can provide dependable linebacker depth, leadership, and experience during the 2026 season, the one-year gamble will be worthwhile.
Now he'll finally get the opportunity to represent New Orleans — and complete one of the more unusual divisional journeys in recent NFL history.