Jonathan Jones was the top cornerback on the depth chart for the New England Patriots in the 2022 season, but that could obviously change in 2023 with the arrival of first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez.
The Patriots have plenty of options with Jones.
They could move him back into the slot and let their young corners, Gonzalez and Jack Jones handle the outside duties. There’s also the option of keeping him as an outside corner or perhaps even moving him to safety to take over the role left by former longtime defensive back Devin McCourty.
Although Jonathan Jones has clearly proven his ability to still play the cornerback position at a high level, he’s at the age where players capable of making the safety transition usually make that jump.
If there’s a need on the backend of the defense, he could be asked to help fill the void.
“My answer to that is, ‘I get to play football,’” said Jones, when asked about the possibility of a role shift, per NESN’s Zack Cox.
That’s the perfect answer from one of the most unselfish players in football.
