Remember when Jack Jones was a standout cornerback for the New England Patriots? Ever wonder why he was suddenly released by Bill Belichick? Maybe it was because the cover man makes so-called “business decisions” on the field.
That’s something players from Jones’ current team the Las Vegas Raiders were accused of by head coach Antonio Pierce after losing to the Carolina Panthers in Week 3, per The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov. Although Pierce didn’t name names, more than one person thinks he was talking about Jones, among others.
They include Mike Renner of CBS Sports, who captioned a highlight of Jones pulling up and not tackling Carolina running back Chuba Hubbard with a simple question: “why did Belichick cut him?”
Renner’s sarcasm was obvious, but he’s not alone in thinking Jones went missing in action. The same sentiment was shared by ESPN’s Jacob Nierob, who believes “It is clearly 18 Jack Jones.”
Belichick’s no longer running things for the Patriots, but these lowlights justify his decision to waive Jones in 2022, less than a season after the corner had played the best football of his career.
Patriots Not Missing Jack Jones
They used a fourth-round pick to select him in the 2022 NFL draft, and Jones initially looked a bargain at that price. He snatched a pair of interceptions and broke up six passes as a rookie.
Jones also scored a pick-six against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. As Patriots.com staff writer Evan Lazar pointed out, Jones used “a T step in off-man to drive on the out route for his career INT and a pick-six.”
Making big plays in man coverage has been a happy habit for Jones. He also scored two touchdowns for the Raiders last season.
Not even a flair for the spectacular could save Jones in New England. Not when “he noticeably wasn’t engaged with teammates on the sideline at times,” according Nierob’s colleague Mike Reiss, who also referenced “a slippage in play” when the Patriots ditched Jones back in November 2023.
Missing a team curfew, along with fellow defensive back J.C. Jackson, played a part in Jones’ exit. The Patriots brought Jackson back from the Los Angeles Chargers, but he was also let go by the new regime fronted by Belichick’s successor Jerod Mayo.
Tough decisions have been made at cornerback, but the Patriots sill look strong at the position.
Patriots Remain Tough at Cornerback
The Patriots have had their struggles defending the pass during the last two games, but they at least remain physical at cornerback. Contrast those plays of Jones against the Panthers with this hit by Pats starter Jonathan Jones against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.
Jonathan Jones big tackle to force a Bengals turnover on downs 😤
📺: #NEvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+
📱: t.co/waVpO909ge
This is how a DB is supposed to play force against the run. Stringing rushing plays sideways and having corners handle contain was a staple of one element of New England’s defense for decades under Belichick.
Mayo and new defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington have preserved this blueprint. They have also kept the Patriots faithful to grabby man coverage.
That’s something 2023 first-round pick Christian Gonzalez excels playing. Like when he locked up Bengals All-Pro Ja’Marr Chase, per Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS.
For the late-night crowd: Christian Gonzalez in man coverage vs Ja’Marr Chase
Gonzo was sticky in press, anticipated well when playing off, and his only actual losses were when the CB was picked
Gonzalez, Jones and Marcus Jones are a savvy trio on the back end. Yet the Patriots have still been gashed by Rodgers and Geno Smith during back-to-back defeats to the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks.
Those games were lost more because gifted quarterbacks were allowed to break contain, than lapses in coverage. Mayo and Covington can feel good they have cornerbacks who aren’t likely to make any “business decisions.”
