Pending Patriots Free Agent Aiming to Finish Career in NE

The first year of the Jerod Mayo era as New England Patriots head coach will wrap up in a few weeks, as the Patriots only have four games left on the 2024 schedule. 

Over the next four games, Mayo and the rest of New England’s coaching staff will do their homework to see who is worth keeping around for next year or allowing them to hit free agency. New England is projected to have 15 free agents, which include Jacoby Brissett and Jonathan Jones.

The 31-year-old Jones will be one of the more interesting situations as he’s been with the team since 2016. Some fans thought the Patriots would trade Jones at last month’s deadline due to his age and pending free agency. However, New England decided to keep him around.

That said, it's not a guarantee Jones will be back with the organization in 2025. Earlier this week, the veteran cornerback was on WEEI and expressed his desire to finish his career in New England.

"“I would love to [stay in New England],” Jones said (h/t Bernd Buchmasser of Pats Pulpit). “It’s rare for a guy to be in one place his entire career. Especially after being undrafted, being here my entire career, I feel indebted to being here. Love the fanbase, love the team. And so, it’d be awesome to be a guy who goes his entire career in the same place.”"

For being an undrafted free agent, Jones has done everything and more to stay with the Pats and become an impact player on defense. Over his nine-year career with the Patriots, Jones has won two Super Bowls and has recorded 11 interceptions.

Jones’ best year with the franchise was in 2022 when he posted 69 combined tackles, 11 pass deflections, four interceptions, and three forced fumbles. The veteran defensive back played a career-high 84 percent of defensive snaps.

Jones is still starting two years later but has only played 67 percent of defensive snaps. The last time he played less than 70 percent of snaps was in 2021 (54%). Jones appeared in six games during that season due to a shoulder injury.

This season, the veteran defender has recorded 45 combined tackles, five pass deflections, and a forced fumble. That said, Jones is still playing at a high level and it would be nice to keep him around for two more seasons.

However, with the Patriots going with more of a youth movement, the team could find Jones’ replacement in the draft or free agency. If that’s the case, it would allow Jones to go to play for a contender and start elsewhere.

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