PHX Reporter

Naquan Jones, a defensive tackle, has returned to the Arizona Cardinals after a brief stint with the Miami Dolphins. Upon his return to the Dignity Health Training Center, he found his previous locker reassigned and now occupies a new space among the linebackers. "Now I'm just a lone wolf," Jones remarked about his current setup.

Jones experienced an emotional six weeks following his release from the Cardinals' 53-man roster after preseason. He described cut-down day as difficult: "It's a tough thing to hear." However, this is not uncommon in the NFL, where roster changes are frequent.

The Cardinals have also seen other players return. Angelo Blackson rejoined the team after spending time on their practice squad in 2020. Defensive lineman Ben Stille was similarly released alongside Jones but has since been re-signed by Arizona after a short period with the Buccaneers.

During part of the 2023 season with Arizona, Jones recorded nine tackles and one tackle for loss over four games. Coach Jonathan Gannon expressed regret over releasing him initially: "I have a lot of love for Naquan... it was hard to see him go."

Following discussions with his agent post-release, Jones pursued opportunities with the Dolphins until circumstances changed at Arizona due to Justin Jones being placed on injured reserve. This led GM Monti Ossenfort to reach out and bring Naquan back.

Despite any initial awkwardness regarding his release and subsequent return, Jones harbors no ill feelings towards the organization. He referred to returning as "a blessing" and noted that he still had ties in Arizona: "I felt like I was at home."

Jones did not play last weekend against Washington but expects to be active for Sunday's game against San Francisco. Having spent only a month away from Arizona's system, he finds himself well-prepared: "I'm good at retaining information... it was just easy to come back."

His focus remains on contributing positively within the team environment: "Everybody has one goal... that's why it wasn't hard to make the decision to come back."