Byron Jones' Price Tag Sounds Massive as Free Agency Starts

With the NFL's free agency period officially set to open next Wednesday, the markets for some of the league's top offseason targets are starting to come into picture.

This 2020 free agent class is loaded with big-name quarterbacks and a lot of All-Pro caliber players, but not enough people are talking about how many cornerbacks and safeties will be up for grabs this time next week. Cowboys defensive back Byron Jones is considered a top 10 free agent this offseason, and his reported starting prices for his upcoming contract negotiations are truly remarkable.

After earning between $1.6 and $6.2 million his first five years in the league, Jones is expected to sign a deal that would net him at least $16 million per season – and that's before taking into account any potential signing bonuses.

Jones moved over from cornerback to safety ahead of the 2018 season and transitioned flawlessly, making his first Pro Bowl appearance and earning second-team All-Pro honors. The 27-year-old hasn't recorded an interception since Week 8 of the 2017 season, but he's been kept busy locking down the Cowboys opponents' top receiving threats. NFL insider Sheil Kapadia expects Jones to become the league's highest-paid defensive back with his next contract.

With so many teams around the NFL bound to make changes to their secondaries this offseason, Jones is in position to have a lot of control in his contract talks. As much as the Cowboys would like to see Jones stick around in Dallas, they won't be able to offer him anything remotely close to what he's looking for, with so many other roster concerns.