Jonathan Jones lands with new team after nine seasons with Patriots
While the New England Patriots made a point to extend many of their upcoming free agents last offseason, cornerback Jonathan Jones was one of the few exceptions. A year later, Jones is moving on.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Jones is joining the Washington Commanders, bringing his tenure with the Patriots to an end after nine seasons. It’s a one-year deal for Jones in D.C.
Jones, 31, was originally signed by the Patriots as a UDFA out of Auburn in 2016. In nine years in New England, he appeared in 132 games making 71 starts, recording 11 interceptions, 57 pass breakups, and 10 forced fumbles.
Early in his career, Jones was the Patriots’ primary slot cornerback at 5-foot-9, 185 pounds. However the last few years he’s played more on the boundary. Last season he played in all 17 games, making 58 tackles with six pass breakups.
By moving on from Jones, the Patriots signify that they’re moving in another direction at the slot corner spot, with Marcus Jones still in the fold to potentially play that role. On the outside, they signed Carlton Davis on day 1 of free agency to play opposite Christian Gonzalez. Isaiah Bolden, Alex Austin, and Miles Battle are also back.
Jones was one of 10 players to hit unrestricted free agency for the Patriots this offseason. You can find the full list here.
For more free agency updates, check out our Offseason Hub free agency tracker.
