Following a 3-13 season like the Arizona Cardinals are, it is natural for players on the team to be undervalued. However, for Chandler Jones, it appears to be reaching comedic levels.
Jones, who had 13 sacks a season ago and has the most sacks in the league over the least three seasons, was left off Touchdown Wire writer Doug Farrar’s list of the top 11 edge defenders.
Listed among the best off the edge are guys like Von Miller, Khalil Mack, Cameron Jordan and more, but Jones is snubbed, despite having the most sacks over the last three seasons and despite the 2017 season he had at outside linebacker when he was criminally not really in the running of Defensive Player of the Year. He led the league in sacks, tackles for loss and QB hits, meaning he was literally the most disruptive player behind the line of scrimmage.
Of course, Jones would be the first to say he was not as reliable as he should have been in 2018. The team and the defense were bad.
And Farrar at least recognizes Jones’ absence from the list. Nonetheless, he ranks them based on overall production, not just pass-rushing numbers.
In Vance Joseph’s defense playing outside linebacker 20 pounds lighter than he was a year ago, he will have the opportunity to shine again doing a number of things.
He might not be on this year’s lists, but he better be in a year from now.
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