The former Packer is a free agent once again, but a return to Green Bay seems unlikely given the Packers’ recent acquisitions. A former Green Bay Packers  player is on the move on this Friday afternoon, just a few days before the season opener. ESPN’s Field Yates is reporting  that Datone Jones , who signed with the Minnesota Vikings  as an unrestricted free agent this spring but who was placed on injured reserve recently, has been released by the team.
This release presumably involves an injury settlement, which would clear a portion of his salary off the Vikings’ books for 2017 while giving Jones the opportunity to sign with another team and play later on this season if he returns to health. The official reason for Jones’ placement on injured reserve was a shoulder injury.
Jones signed a one-year deal this March that was worth a total of $3.75 million and carried a $1.6 million signing bonus. That bonus, and likely Jones’ $150,000 in workout bonuses, will remain on the Vikings’ cap for this season. In addition, any injury settlement money would also count.
This cut comes just prior to the week one game, and the NFL’s CBA states that veteran players on the roster for week one of the regular season have their base salaries guaranteed. However, because Jones was on injured reserve instead of the 53-man roster, that provision would not have applied to him. Still, if he had been on IR all season, his base salary likely would have still been paid out anyway, making this a cost-saving move for the Vikings.
Jones played defensive end and outside linebacker for the Packers during his first four years in the NFL, but was playing primarily 4-3 defensive tackle for the Vikings this summer.
If this move had happened two weeks ago, it would not have been a shock to see the Green Bay Packers bring Jones back in for a visit and potentially sign him. However, given the team’s recent additions on the front seven — former 49ers  edge rusher Ahmad Brooks  and defensive lineman Quinton Dial , plus rookie edge rusher Chris Odom  — there does not appear to be a need for Jones’ services at the present time. Still, if the Packers see their front seven hit by injury at some point this season and if Jones is healthy, a return engagement with Jones would make sense.


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Continue Reading @ [url=https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2017/9/8/16278986/vikings-release-datone-jones-from-injured-reserve-injury-settlement-packers]Evan "Tex" Western 

Evan "Tex" Western wrote:

Well, he's out there.

Originally Posted by: nerdmann 

In addition, any injury settlement money would also count.

acmepackingcompany.com  wrote:

Beast says, "I believe" and "I think;" but he is 100% correct!

Originally Posted by: Barfarn 

Resigning Jones is a real possibility,if GB wants him back. Clearly, the Vikings didn’t like his fit or they’d have IR’d him. This will limit Jones’ appeal amongst other GMs.

We have 8 LBs on the roster. Don’t think Ted’s ever had so few, so we can always add one more. Even w/ Beigel that’d still only 10. Plus, by the time Jones is Ready, 2-3-4 guys might be on IR anyways.

Originally Posted by: Barfarn 

Also, I don’t think GB’s plan was to keep Odom on the 53. It’s fine now because you can only have 45 active anyways. But, as the injured inactive approach 8; they’ll need the roster spot and Odom is the guy to cut and stash on PS. He cleared waivers all the way to GB, so he’d go unclaimed. And after a few weeks, I’d put my $$$ on GB signing him especially if they offer him extra cash.

Originally Posted by: Barfarn 

One of his biggest issues with playing DT here was that he couldn't put on enough weight or keep it up during the season. He did cut some if I remember correctly for OLB but something tells me it's a lot easier for him to keep it down than up.

Originally Posted by: steveishere 

One of his biggest issues with playing DT here was that he couldn't put on enough weight or keep it up during the season. He did cut some if I remember correctly for OLB but something tells me it's a lot easier for him to keep it down than up.

Originally Posted by: steveishere 

On a more serious note
I'm not sure if it was a weight problem or a physicaliness problem. While weight helps, you still have to be physical, mean, tough, strong with good leverage for run stopping, which I'm not sure if Datone plays that way. Also he's more straightline forward, which is why he even struggled with the 5 tech... and all of this is why Pennel was getting more time at the 5 tech when he was here.

Originally Posted by: beast