Getty Jerry Jones would be wise to fire up the Cowboys trade rumor mill on ex-Patriots CB Jack Jones.
It was a stunning plummet from a very good rookie season, and that’s just the kind of fuel that runs the Cowboys rumor mill, which should have ex-Patriots cornerback Jack Jones as a prime target. Dallas owner and GM Jerry Jones loves resuscitating (or trying, at least) the careers of talented players who run into a spot of trouble, and Jack Jones is in a spot of trouble.
The Patriots cut Jones on Monday, and one New England reporter—Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald—pegged the reason as a lack of professionalism. Jones was benched for the Week 9 game against Washington for missing curfew, and was benched again on Sunday against the Colts in Germany. He was seen pouting on the sideline. According to Kyed, that prompted the Patriots to cut ties with Jones.
But Cowboys rumors had the team seeking secondary help after the injury to Trevon Diggs, and Jones is a talented player. He was once the No. 16 prospect in the nation—rare for a cornerback—coming out of high school, and he is still only 25.
Even with Diggs out, Stephon Gilmore and DaRon Bland have been very good, but the Cowboys lack depth. Jourdan Lewis has struggled as the third corner, and has a Pro Football Focus grade of just 49.4 (96th out of 112 corners in the NFL) this season.
Should Jerry Jones Make a Call?
This is where j should fire up the Cowboys rumor mill and show some significant interest in Jack Jones the free agent.
Jack Jones was drafted in the fourth round in 2022 out of Arizona State, and probably would have gone higher if not for the history of trouble in college—he was ruled academically ineligible at USC, then was kicked out of school after he was arrested for a burglary on a Panda Express in 2018. He revived his career, though, at Arizona State.
The Patriots had him on the field for 13 games as a rookie last season, and he looked like a steal. Jones recorded two interceptions, including a pick-6 on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Week 4. He had a 74.7 grade at Pro Football Focus, establishing himself as a solid cornerback going forward. But even then, he struggled with professionalism and was briefly suspended at the end of 2022.
The Patriots entered the 2023 season expected to have one of the better secondaries in the NFL, and Jones was part of that.
But Jones was arrested in June at Boston’s Logan Airport with two loaded guns. Jones agreed to a plea deal in August, when prosecutors agreed to drop the charges against Jones—nine altogether—in exchange for Jones agreeing to one year of probation and 48 hours of community service. He never really seemed to recover from that incident.
Jack Jones Is a Perfect Cowboys Rumor Target
The question on Jack Jones for the Cowboys is whether they could get him on the field and productive fast enough to make a difference for the team this year.
Despite his solid numbers last year, Jones struggled throughout this season, playing in just five games with 12 tackles and one pass defended. At PFF, his grade sank to 46.6 on the year.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed the situation with Jones on Tuesday.
“Jack’s a talented player,” he said. “He showed that when he played for us at times. In the end, I felt like we just needed to move on. But he’s a talented player.”
Talented, indeed. And a bit troubled. A perfect fit for the Cowboys.
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Cowboys Could Make Pitch to Sign Troubled Ex-Patriots CB