The New England Patriots have already restructured their coaching staff for the second consecutive offseason. Now it is time for the real work with an expected overhaul of the roster coming.
Free agency will be a key part of this process. And while adding external players to the mix will undoubtably happen with upwards of $130 million in projected cap space, there are also a few in-house free agents to be taken care of. Following a series of moves, 12 remain in need of a new contract prior to free agency.
Among them is cornerback Jonathan Jones, the next player in our free agency profile series.
After starting for four-years at cornerback for the University of Auburn, Jones went undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft before signing in New England as a UDFA. Earning one of the last spots on the team's 53-man roster due to his special teams work, Jones mainly assumed that role for the early stages of his career en route to winning Super Bowl LI.
Taking on more of a role on defense in 2018, Jones settled in as the Patriots slot corner where he hauled in three interceptions during the season. Jones then played a key role in slowing down Tyreek Hill in the AFC Championship Game as the speedster was limited to just one catch as New England then went on to win Super Bowl LIII.
Jones parlayed his success into a three-year extension prior to the start of next season where he continued to be a key part of New England's defense success until a shoulder injury limited him to just six games in 2021.
Returning to action in 2022, Jones took on more of an outside cornerback role after the team moved off of Stephon Gilmore. He went on to set career-highs with four interceptions, 11 pass deflections, and three forced fumbles which all led New England's defense.
Re-signing again on a two-year deal in 2023, Jones continued to hold his position along the outside but has battled injuries over his post-30 seasons. Still, the veteran has suited up in 31 games over the last two seasons while playing over 70 percent of the team's defensive snaps.
Stats: 17 games (14 starts) | 712 defensive snaps (64%) | 58 tackles, 4 missed tackles (6.6%) | 53 targets, 40 catches (75.5%), 535 yards, 7 TDs, 0 INT, 3 PBU
Season recap: Assuming outside cornerback duties opposite Christian Gonzalez, Jones had a relatively quiet start to the season as he battled a shoulder surgery that left him slightly limited. In addition to playing corner, Jones got some run at the safety position at times during the middle of the season as the Patriots were without Jabrill Peppers and an injured Kyle Dugger.
His up-and-down back half of the season at corner started on the downswing in a Week 11 game vs. the Rams. Jones was tabbed for giving up three touchdowns -- one on a questionable cover-zero blitz call that went for a 69-yard touchdown to Cooper Kupp after Jones failed to make a play on the ball.
Following the bye, Jones put forth his best performance of the season in Buffalo against Bills top receiver Khalil Shakir. In a man-heavy game plan, Jones matched up with Shakir on 12 routes in man coverage and limited him to just one catch for 12 yards with a pass breakup.
Jones couldn't build on the momentum, however, as a matchup against Ladd McConkey the following week produced the opposite results. McConkey and his 4.39-vertical speed gave the veterans issues all afternoon in a blowout loss as Jones gave up a team-high 91 yards -- while there were more plays to be made left on the field by LA.
What is his contract history? Following the conclusion of his three-year rookie contract as a UDFA, Jones received a second-round tender in 2019 that was valued at $3.095 million. Prior to the 2019 season, Jones agreed on a three-year extension with New England worth $21 million. Finding free agency then in 2023 he re-upped on a two-year deal worth $19 million.
Which teams might be in the running? The easiest connection to make is the Buffalo Bills, who now have Mike Pellegrino in the building as their cornerbacks coach and could lose Rasul Douglas this offseason. If Jones looks elsewhere it could likely be with contenders such as the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams, or the Minnesota Vikings where he could reunite with Brian Flores.
Why should he be expected back? Jones is not the player he once was but could still provide value back at nickel or safety. With Christian Gonzalez locked in and an expected addition opposite him this offseason, the path towards that role is clear while Jones, who has expressed interest in a return, would still bring valued experience and leadership to the secondary.
Why should he be expected to leave? With no relation to Mike Vrabel or Terrell Williams, if Jones is looking for a bigger role or payday he should likely start looking elsewhere. The 31-year-old has acknowledged he would also be open to change so could look to end his career on a contender if New England does not show much interest.
What is his projected free agency outcome? Cornerback will be a position New England looks to upgrade this season, but Jones returns in a lesser role on a lower-level deal.