Newly-acquired Browns LB Deion Jones took the field with his new team Wednesday for the first time since the team traded for him Monday with the Falcons.
Jones, a 2017 Pro Bowler who tallied 137 tackles in Atlanta last season, has yet to play a game this year due to offseason shoulder surgery, but he was designated for return Wednesday morning and is eager to provide a spark to the defense.
"Can't wait to get here and get started," Jones said. "Today will be my first day of practice, and we'll see from there."
The Browns acquired Jones after the defense allowed the Chargers to run for 238 yards in Week 5, the second straight game Cleveland has allowed its opponent to top 200 rushing yards. Jones will provide veteran support to a linebackers group that lost Anthony Walker Jr., a team captain and reliable tackler, to a season-ending quadriceps injury in Week 3.
Jones could prove to be a trustworthy plug in the interior — he's recorded over 100 tackles in five of his six NFL seasons since he was drafted by the Falcons in the second round in 2016.
"I've peaked at (the film)," Jones said. "I think they're just one or two plays off from having a good game in the run game. I think they just have to jell it all together."
Check out photos of players and coaches working to prepare for the teams regular season game against the New England Patriots
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Safety John Johnson III (43) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive end Alex Wright (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Safety John Johnson III (43) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive tackle Taven Bryan (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Sam Kamara (92) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive end Isaiah Thomas (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Tony Fields II (42) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs (15) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Jermaine Carter (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Dakota Allen (56) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs (15) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (96) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Kellen Mond (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs (15) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Kellen Mond (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (5) and Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (5) and Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Deion Jones (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk (51) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) and Running back John Kelly (41) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Wide receiver Chester Rogers (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive back Herb Miller (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Tight end Pharaoh Brown (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive tackle Tyeler Davison (67) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Tight end Harrison Bryant (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Sam Kamara (92) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Defensive end Alex Wright (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Wide Receiver Michael Woods II (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Wide Receiver Daylen Baldwin (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Wide Receiver Michael Woods II (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Wide receiver Anthony Schwartz (10) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Tight end Pharaoh Brown (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Running back Kareem Hunt (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
A football during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 12, 2022.
At 27 years old and in his seventh NFL season, Jones is the second-most experienced player on the defense behind Jadeveon Clowney. He's capable of playing both as an inside and outside linebacker and appeared willing to be the next green-dot player for the defense as the play-call relayer, a role that was previously held by Walker before his injury.
"I've done it, so yeah, I can do it," he said. "It's about applying yourself, studying, making sure you know everything."
Safety John Johnson III said he hadn't previously met Jones before he joined the team, but he knew about him because of the production he had with the Falcons.
"I think he's a guy that everybody knows even if you don't really watch Atlanta," Johnson said. "You still know that guy, just from him running around and making plays. Anytime you get a guy like that on your defense, it can always help."
The Browns are hoping to have him ready Sunday against the Patriots, although it's still too soon to gauge if he'll be ready both physically and mentally as he learns the defensive playbook.
Stefanski wouldn't rule out Jones for the game and said the Browns will first see how he does in practices this week. Jones has plenty of work ahead of him, too, to learn the different terminology of the defensive playbook, but he expects that to be a quick process for a player as seasoned as Jones.
"Deion is a very smart football player, very intelligent," Stefanski said. "(He's) been in a similar system, so we'll see how much he can catch up. We just really got to meeting with him yesterday, so it's a crash course when you acquire a player midseason. We'll see what he can handle."
Jones is ready to tackle anything.
"I can't wait to see how I can help this team," he said.
