NFL Free Agency: Ronald Jones II signs a new contract
Free agent running back Ronald Jones is signing a one-year deal to join the Dallas Cowboys, according to multiple reports.
Jones was one of three free agents that the Cowboys hosted on Monday. They locked in offensive lineman Chuma Edoga earlier on Tuesday, also on a one-year deal.
Jones spent one season in Kansas City in 2022, appearing in just six games and logging only 17 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown.
He had been far more productive in his four seasons with Tampa Bay, with a high-water mark of a 978-yard rushing campaign during the 2020 season. Jones also ran for 724 yards in 2019, as well as 428 yards in 2021.
Despite playing for just five seasons so far in the NFL, Jones already has two Super Bowl rings.
Coming out of USC in 2018, Jones was a second-round pick. He was the sixth pick off the board in the second round and joined Tampa Bay. He is a DFW native and graduated from McKinney North High School.
Jones joins a Dallas Cowboys running back room that’s coming off of significant change. The team released long-time starter Ezekiel Elliott after seven seasons. They also placed the franchise tag on Tony Pollard, locking him in for at least another season. Behind Pollard, the Cowboys also have Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis. Dallas re-signed Dowdle to a one-year deal on Tuesday as well.
More on the 2023 NFL offseason, free agency
The NFL 2023 calendar year began at 4 p.m. ET on March 15. At that time, contracts running through 2022 officially ran out, making those players free agents.
Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams had a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 7. The Cowboys used their franchise tag this year on Tony Pollard.
The legal negotiation period spanned from March 13 through March 15. The new year marked the beginning of all trades going official per the league office. April 21 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 26, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits.
There were 722 players due to hit free agency in 2023, including 20 unrestricted free agents for Dallas. Follow all the Cowboys free agency news with the offseason tracker.
On3’s Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this report.