A little over a year ago, Jack Jones was picking off legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers and taking it to the house.
He flexed repeatedly in the end zone at Lambeau Field after intercepting a pass from one of the greatest quarterbacks of this generation. Oh, the audacity.
It was plays like that one that piqued interest in Jones’ potential as the next great cornerback in New England.
So much can change in a year.
Rodgers is now a New York Jet, and after being benched for two straight games and inserted into the lineup for only 10 snaps against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Jones is no longer with the Patriots.
On Monday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported New England had waived their former fourth-round draft pick. The Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi delved deeper into the reasoning behind Jones being cut, which included being late for a team meeting and behavioral issues.
I'm told by a source that Jones' behavior/engagement this past week and in Germany wasn't to the level the team had hoped after his previous incident (late for team meeting/1st quarter benching vs Washington). https://t.co/KIuTkYlYHE
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) November 13, 2023
This isn’t the first time Jones’ behavior has come into question. There was a report back in January from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer that Jones “talked back” to Belichick, which resulted in the defensive back being suspended by the team.
He was also arrested in June on gun-related charges. Throw the recent situation in the mix and it appears like it was a culmination of a bunch of different things that finally led to the Patriots saying enough is enough.
The other part is the fact that Jones’ level of production wasn’t good enough to warrant the headaches for the team. As a rookie, Jones had a 76.0 overall coverage grade by Pro Football Focus. However, in 2023 so far, that number has fallen all the way to 48.2.
There’s no denying Jones’ talent on the football field, and perhaps a change of scenery can get him back to the same place he was at when he first burst onto the scene in the NFL.
As for the Patriots, they still have Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant. Shaun Wade is also playing with more confidence. There’s hope that veteran outside corner J.C. Jackson returns at some point as well.
And in 2024, reinforcements will be on the way.
The short-term looks rocky, but through a long-term lens, the future looks bright in the defensive backfield for the Patriots with Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones returning. It’s a resilient group that still has elite potential down the road.
