The New England Patriots got a steal when they selected Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez 17th overall in the 2023 NFL draft. He’s a perfect fit for head coach Bill Belichick’s man-heavy coverage schemes, but the arrival of Gonzalez could also mean one “promising” Patriots player has to switch positions this offseason.
Marcus Jones thrived on the outside as a rookie, picking off a pair of passes, but Ted Nguyen of The Athletic believes the 24-year-old may have to move into the slot once Gonzalez is in town: “Gonzalez figures to start outside right away and bumps promising second-year corner Marcus Jones inside. Jones is smaller (5-8, 175 pounds) and solid in run defense, so this might be a better fit for him.”
As Nguyen pointed, Jones should benefit from playing inside more often. His presence in the slot, along with Gonzalez on the perimeter, will give the Patriots formidable multiple-defensive back packages to answer the prolific passing attacks within the AFC East.
Top Pick Will Make Seamless Transition
Nguyen focused on Gonzalez as one of the 10 “best scheme fits” from this year’s draft class. Gonzalez is a good choice because of his expertise locking up wide receivers in press and bump-and-run coverage, a talent highlighted by Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS.
Christian Gonzalez locking down receivers man to man
Love a guy with elite traits who trusts his athleticism, and you see that in Gonzalez’s patience from press + his calmness downfield
Plays like these make Gonzalez a natural for a Belichick-coached defense Nguyen noted “played man coverage at the league’s seventh-highest rate in 2022, according to TruMedia.”
Gonzalez has the physical traits to make an impact from Day 1, but the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder will also need the aptitude and work ethic to adapt to a notoriously demanding system in New England.
Fortunately, the early signs are good Gonzalez is ready to put in the work. He’s been doing just that since the dust settled on the draft, per Kyles’ colleague Mike Kadlick.
NFL Draft bliss is over. #Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez is back putting in the work:
(IG: ursula.heyner)
Pairing Gonzalez with Jonathan Jones on the edges of the secondary ought to limit big plays even in a division loaded with top quarterbacks and dynamic wide receivers. Moving Marcus Jones into the slot is another crucial piece of the puzzle.
Reshuffled Secondary a Key Weapon in AFC East
Things were already tough for the Patriots facing the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins twice a year. The Bills have dominated in recent years, largely thanks to quarterback Josh Allen’s prolific connection with All-Pro wideout Stefon Diggs.
Buffalo owned the division in 2022, but the Dolphins also made the postseason on the back of an explosive air attack led by burners Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Now the New York Jets have added Aaron Rodgers, Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman alongside 2022 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson.
It’s obvious where the Patriots will need to focus their efforts defensively within the division. If Belichick wants to continue going man for man, he’ll need his best cover men together on the field as often as possible.
That will be easy to achieve with Jones playing the slot, where he should still be able to make splash plays like this pick-six against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, dubbed “incredible” by Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus.
Incredible pick-6 by Patriots rookie CB Marcus Jones. Look at the balance along the sideline
Jones showed the ability to nullify receivers by allowing 24 completions from 41 targets and a completion percentage of 58.5, per Pro Football Reference. Those are numbers good enough to keep the second-year man on the field, even after the arrival of Gonzalez.
Even if moving to the slot means Jones plays a few less snaps on defense, he’ll be extra fresh to continue making an impact in the return game and possibly as a receiver after averaging 19.5 yards on four receptions last season.
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‘Promising’ Patriots Player Set for Position Switch After Top Draft Pick’s Arrival