What will Jonathan Jones’ role be in the Patriots defense now?

Jonathan Jones is back in the fold for the New England Patriots’ secondary, but the role he will play in 2023 is certainly up in the air.

The easy answer is that Jones will play all over the field for the Patriots, because that’s what he’s done for much of his career. He’s lined up everywhere. Inside, outside, close, deep.

That figures to continue in 2023. But in the wake of Devin McCourty’s retirement and other shoes possibly dropping in free agency and the draft, Jones’ role might look slightly different.

• Jones is no stranger to versatility. In 2020, Jones’ last full season as primarily an inside corner, he played 451 of 728 defensive snaps in the slot (62 percent), compared to 109 as a box safety, 90 at outside corner, 67 as a deep safety, and 11 on the line.

  After an injury-shortened season in 2021, Jones’ role changed dramatically in 2022. That was partially out of necessity, due to a relative lack of experienced outside cornerbacks on the team. But Jones played nearly double the amount of snaps on the outside that he’d played in his entire career – 778 snaps on the perimeter out of 914, or 85.1 percent.

  Believe it or not, Jones’ shift to the outside resulted in the lowest opposing passer rating of his career when targeted – 76.8. That’s natural, though, because slot corners inevitably allow higher-percentage passes and have a harder time making interceptions. Jones’ playmaking didn’t make an appreciable jump playing on the outside (four interceptions, five total pass breakups), but his opposing completion percentage of 53.5 ranked sixth among all cornerbacks with at least 385 snaps in coverage (via Pro Football Focus).

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  FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 06: Jonathan Jones #31 of the New England Patriots runs with the ball during the second half of a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium on November 06, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)

• Do these stats suggest that Jones is here to stay as an outside corner for the Patriots? The team’s actions so far in the off-season suggest that they feel pretty good about keeping him on the outside, if it comes to that.

  Although it’s still incredibly early, with NFL free agency officially kicking off Wednesday afternoon, the Patriots have kept their focus mostly internal. And at cornerback, they made one move that could signify how they feel about Jones’ role, which is the tendering of restricted free agent slot corner Myles Bryant.

  The dynamic Marcus Jones also made an impact on defense late in the 2022 season, but even he played most of his snaps on the outside (76 percent). Bryant is the only cornerback who played the majority of his defensive snaps in the slot. However, he allowed a 107 passer rating when targeted in the slot. Compare that to a 54.2 rating allowed by Jonathan Jones on the inside.

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• The big question remaining for Jonathan Jones and the rest of the Patriots secondary: how do they replace the retired Devin McCourty?

  Jonathan Jones, Adrian Phillips, and Jalen Mills should all be considered candidates to play deep safety. Phillips was second behind McCourty in free safety snaps in 2022 with 199. But Jones’ speed, ability to play both inside and outside, and experience covering big-play receivers down the field should suit him well in that role.

  Kyle Dugger is also capable of playing deep safety (82 snaps in 2022), but he’s so good as a box safety that it would almost feel like a waste to part him back in the deep area of the field. Bryant and Jabrill Peppers also got some looks at free safety, and with Peppers also back in the fold, he should be a strong candidate as well.

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  Patriots defensive back #31 Jonathan Jones celebrates a 2nd quarter interception. (Syndication: The Providence Journal)

• Forced to guess, my projection is Jonathan Jones continues to play outside corner in 2023, with Jack Jones assuming a full-time role on the other side. Phillips, Mills, and Bryant would be the top candidates to play deep safety. Of course, that’s barring a big free-agent signing, trade, or draft pick, as it is still just March 15. Joshuah Bledsoe will also be entering his third season and should have a real opportunity to earn a more regular role.

  The one issue with this setup: the Patriots remain small at cornerback. We at 985TheSportsHub dot com originally believed, and still believe, that the Pats could use a bigger outside corner, if not a true No. 1 to put atop the depth chart. It’s a deep class in the 2023 draft, so that’s probably their best bet at this point.

  With Jonathan Jones on the roster, it’s a good problem to have. Because Bill Belichick will have no shortage of options for how to use him.

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  Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.