While the Raiders’ new regime elected to give edge rusher Maxx Crosby a contract four-year, $98 million extension, the club elected to swap out its other starting edge rusher.
Chandler Jones signed with Las Vegas on a three-year deal reportedly worth $51 million. Jones will have the benefit of playing for coaches in McDaniels and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham who saw the beginning of his career with the Patriots.
Even as Jones turned 32 in February, McDaniels feels like Jones can continue to make impact plays on an every-down basis.
“He’s got a great feel for the different feel for the different people that are protecting,” McDaniels said at the league’s annual meeting on Monday. “And he’s been able to play a lot of different spots across the front. He’s rushed inside, he’s rushed outside. He’s rushed on the right, he’s rushed on the left. And he’s a very slick guy in terms of using his frame. He’s very long, has long arms. And he’s hard to get a big hit on — which I like because the more contact you get on some of those guys, the more physical toll it takes on their bodies.
“I know he’s into his 30s, but I see Chandler as a guy who’s still playing at a really high level and he’s playing at that level on all three downs, which I love.”
Jones has always played a high percentage of defensive snaps for both the Patriots and the Cardinals. In his 15 games for Arizona last season, Jones was on the field for 85 percent of the team’s defensive reps. He finished the season with 10.5 sacks, 26 quarterback hits, and 12 tackles for loss along with six forced fumbles and four pass breakups.
A New England first-round pick in 2012, Jones has 107.5 career sacks, 195 quarterback hits, and 118 tackles for loss.
