The New England Patriots will have one of the most competitive training camps in the next couple of weeks. With a new coaching staff calling the shots, players will look to lock down a roster spot.
There will be other players seeking to have stellar seasons and cash out in free agency next March. New England handed out a ton of money this offseason, but they won't be able to do the same in a year, and cornerback Marcus Jones is somebody who'll price himself out of town.
Marcus Jones Will Likely Spend His Last Season With Pats in 2025
Jones was nabbed in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft by New England. Outside of the 2023 season, where he suffered a torn labrum in Week 2, Jones has been a stellar contributor for the Pats. In 31 career games (14 starts), Jones has supplied 102 total tackles, 17 pass breakups, and three interceptions.
He's even returned some punts and kickoffs, showcasing his versatility to contribute to special teams. Jones has 769 punt return yards, 645 kick return yards, and one punt return touchdown.
Last season was the best one thus far for the former Houston product. Over 14 games (nine starts), he finished with career-highs in total tackles (58) and pass deflections (10). In addition, Jones had career-bests in an overall grade of 70.2 (46th among 222 graded cornerbacks), 88.2 run defense grade (7th among 222 graded cornerbacks), and 67.1 coverage grade (65th among 222 graded cornerbacks) per PFF.
While he looks like a more than capable slot cornerback, New England isn't going to want to pay him a lucrative deal. They gave Carlton Davis a three-year, $54 million deal ($18M AAV) in March, with Kyle Dugger landing a four-year, $58 million extension ($14.5 AAV) in 2024.
That's without the potential mega extension Christian Gonzalez could land next offseason if he puts up another stellar campaign. New York Jets CB Sauce Gardner ($30.1 million AAV) and Houston Texans CB Derek Stingley ($30 million AAV) are the two highest-paid guys at the position. Gonzalez will certainly look to join that conversation with his next contract, which is why the Pats would likely let Jones walk in free agency.
That's a lot of money that can be tied to the secondary, and New England will have to pick their battles. Jones is someone who will lose that with the Pats and will likely be playing football elsewhere in 2026.