The Detroit Lions released linebacker Christian Jones on Monday, and based on the style of linebacker general manager Brad Holmes has targeted during his time with the Los Angeles Rams, this shouldn’t be a surprise. Despite getting a mid-season extension in 2019, the writing was on the wall for Jones once details surrounding the Lions’ new defensive scheme projected it to mirror the Rams defensive front.
Under the previous regime, then-general manager Bob Quinn targeted linebackers for Matt Patricia’s scheme that had size, power, could set the edge and fill gaps—though the linebackers he chose always seemed to come up short in this last skill set.