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Only months after an unsettling off-field incident, the New England Patriots cut cornerback Jack Jones on Monday, November 13.
The Athletic’s Patriots insider Chad Graff, who confirmed the news via league source, answered the question “why now?” as the injury-riddled team faces a 2-8 record. Shaun Wade is the next left cornerback on the depth chart, and he only has 15 tackles and a pass deflection this season.
“The Patriots tried so hard [maybe too hard] to make it work with Jones,” Graff wrote. “He had fallen to them in the fourth round of last year’s draft over character concerns following Jones’ arrest and subsequent guilty plea in college for burglary of a Panda Express restaurant.”
“Then this offseason he was arrested for allegedly bringing loaded guns to Boston Logan airport. The charges were dropped when Jones agreed to one year of pre-trial probation. But the Patriots backed him through all of that because they liked his coverage skills as a cornerback. He was never suspended by the team over those charges,” Graff continued.
Jones showed potential in 18 games played and two starts with the Patriots. He tallied 42 tackles, seven pass deflections, two interceptions, a pick six, a forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Jack Jones’ On-Field Production Dwindled
Most of that production came during his rookie season, and he didn’t build on that this year. He only had one pass deflection and 12 tackles plus a quarterback hit this fall, and “the situation became untenable” of late for the Patriots and Jones during the past three weeks, Graff noted.
“The Patriots benched Jones the first two drives in last week’s game against Washington for showing up late to the team hotel before the game,” Graff wrote. “But they were disappointed when, instead of responding as they hoped, Jones sulked on the bench alone while the defense was on the field. Jones was then again benched the first two drives of the team’s next game, and did the same, sitting alone in a large trench coat during the start of the Patriots’ game in Germany on Sunday.
“Finally, upon coming back from Europe, the Patriots decided that his behavior wasn’t worth his on-field performances,” Graff concluded.
Bill Belichick Mum on Jack Jones
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick dodged the media twice on how the team worked with Jones during the past two games. Belichick shut that down after the 10-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, November 12.
“Yeah, I’m not gonna get into any player’s personal situations,” Belichick told reporters via a video conference call on Monday before the announcement.
Belichick dodged it after the Commanders’ loss, too, when both Jones and J.C. Jackson didn’t start. The longtime coach simply said “no” and emphasized that “everybody played” on the secondary.
“We played all the corners,” Belichick told the media on November 5. “We played all the safeties. Really we played everyone on the defense.”
Patriots’ Jabrill Peppers Address Jack Jones’ Disengagement
New England safety Jabrill Peppers dealt with questioning about Jones’ status amid limited playing time and his disengagement on the sideline. Peppers was asked if he talked with Jones about it.
“No, not yet,” Peppers told reporters on Sunday via MassLive.com. “But I’ve got a very good relationship with him.”
Whether or not they connected, Jones will have to find a new opportunity elsewhere.
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