Patriots sign another rookie to first contract, four left to get done

The New England Patriots have added another rookie to the growing list of those with agreements in place for their first NFL contracts.

Cornerback Jack Jones was officially announced as the Pats’ most recent rookie signing on Thursday, pushing the team past the halfway mark to getting deals done for their 10-player 2022 draft class. Jones’ contract comes after the rookie out of Arizona State made a strong impression during minicamp in Foxboro this week. The 24-year-old corner has been “more involved than most rookies” in practices, according to our own Alex Barth at 98.5 The Sports Hub.

“I’m excited, I’m glad I’m here, and, you know, just got to keep moving forward,” Jones said Wednesday, when asked about what it was like to get his first few NFL practices under his belt.

After J.C. Jackson’s departure left a big void at outside cornerback, Jones became a logical choice for a rookie with a better chance than most to impact the team in his first season. Third-round cornerback Marcus Jones is likely better suited as a slot cornerback at the NFL Level, while their veteran free-agent signings aren’t necessarily locks to start.

The Patriots will determine their starting boundary corners from a group that includes Jack Jones, Malcolm Butler, Jalen Mills, Terrance Mitchell, Joejuan Williams, and Shaun Wade.

Who’s left to sign?

May 23, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive linebacker Cole Strange (50) heads to the practice field for the team’s OTA. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Four players have yet to finalize their rookie contracts, mainly those at the top of the 2022 draft class. First-round guard Cole Strange and second-round wide receiver Tyquan Thornton are still working those out.

Strange, in particular, stood out to reporters at minicamp for setting a physical tone and looking like a player who’s going to bring plenty of nasty to the field for the Patriots. Every team needs a little nasty. Thornton also caught a deep ball from Brian Hoyer in 7-on-7 drills on Wednesday.

In addition, the Patriots still need to sign a pair of fourth-round picks, running back Pierre Strong Jr. and quarterback Bailey Zappe.

So … who IS signed?

Jun 8, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (52) during the New England Patriots minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Glad you asked. The aforementioned Marcus Jones has already signed with the Patriots, so the two rookie cornerback contracts are done. Here’s the full list of 2022 Patriots draft picks to sign their rookie deals:

CB Marcus Jones
CB Jack Jones
RB Kevin Harris
DL Sam Roberts
OL Chasen Hines
OL Andrew Stueber

So, they’re approaching the home stretch in terms of finishing those deals. Getting them all done should help the Patriots facilitate possible short-term deals with late-term free agents, or preseason trades.

What’s Next?

Jun 8, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick during the New England Patriots minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

After Bill Belichick’s sudden cancellation of the remainder of the Patriots’ spring practices, that means the next time we get a look at the team will be for 2022 training camp. Official start dates for that have yet to be announced, but expect it in the last week of July.

Between now and then, we’ll have plenty more Patriots content here at 985TheSportsHub.com to get you ready for camp and the regular season.