15 worst Minnesota Vikings free agent signings of all-time
By Adam Patrick
60. . DT. 2017. Datone Jones. 13. player
With the uncertainty surrounding the future of defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, the Vikings went out and signed Datone Jones during the 2017 offseason. Minnesota and the former Green Bay Packers defensive lineman agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million.
Jones was a first-round draft selection by the Packers in 2013 and he spent his first four NFL seasons as a defensive end and a linebacker for the Vikings’ NFC North rival. At 26-years-old, Minnesota clearly felt that he had the potential to become a solid contributor for their defense in 2017.
However, the relationship between the Vikings and Jones turned out to be shorter than both had envisioned during free agency.
He wasn’t even able to earn a spot on Minnesota’s roster as a backup defensive tackle and the team eventually parted ways with him a few days prior to the start of the regular season. Following his short time with the Vikings, Jones also had brief stints with the Detroit Lions, the San Francisco 49ers the and Dallas Cowboys in 2017.