"I'm right here with him" - New Raiders signing pokes fun at Russell Wilson
Quarterback Russell Wilson was traded from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos this offseason and will face a familiar foe again.
The Las Vegas Raiders signed defensive end/linebacker Chandler Jones to a three-year, $52.5 million with $34 million in guaranteed money.
Chandler Jones’ #Raiders Contract
- 3 years, $51M
- $32M fully guaranteed
- 2 void years for cap purposes
- 2 years, $34M practical
Cap Hits
2022: $7.4M
2023: $19.4M
2024: $19.4M
2025: $4.8M (dead)
Full Breakdown: bit.ly/3u8rB6b
Jones stated that the former Seahawks quarterback thought he could get away from him but that he's right here with him:
"He thought he could get away from me, leaving [the NFC West], but I'm right here with him again. So, that's going to be fun, getting after him a little bit."
The defensive end/linebacker was drafted in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. In his four seasons with the team (2012-2015), Jones had 36 sacks and 211 combined tackles (125 solo and 86 assisted), and 38 tackles for loss.
He also won a Super Bowl with the Patriots back in the 2014 season as they defeated the Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX.
In March 2016, Jones was traded to the Arizona Cardinals by New England. He led the NFL in sacks with 17 and 28 tackles for loss, finishing third in the AP Defensive Player of the Year award voting.
In 2019, Jones led the NFL with eight forced fumbles while getting 19 sacks, which was suitable for second that season.
Jones had 10.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, 41 combined tackles (31 solo and 10 assisted), and 12 tackles for loss in the 2021 season. In his six seasons with the Cardinals, Jones had 71.5 sacks, the most in franchise history.
Overall, his 107.5 career sacks are among the top 25 most in the history of the NFL and second among active players. Newly signed Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller has more with 115.5.
Chandler Jones and Russell Wilson back in the NFC West
Jones sacked Wilson 14.5 times in his six seasons with Arizona. Apart from Jones missing both games against Seattle in the 2020 season due to an arm bicep tear injury, he sacked the nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback at least once in all but one matchup from 2016-2021.
Welcome to #BroncosCountry, @DangeRussWilson! https://t.co/CWsS5EM7ae
Since 2017, Jones' 12 sacks of Wilson are the second-most in the league. New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan has taken down Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan 15 times.
This time, Wilson and Jones will face one another twice a year in a new division, but will the quarterback be able to stay more upright? We'll see when the 2022 season starts.