Patriots Predicted to Lose Starting Defender

The New England Patriots are now officially stating off the NFL offseason. Following yesterday's Super Bowl to conclude the season, the time has come for the Patriots to start turning things around.

After a brtual 2024 season, there is nowhere to go but up for the franchise. Moving on from Jerod Mayo and hiring Mike Vrabel to replace him was already a big step in the right direction.

Now, the work on the roster is about to begin.

Everything will start with New England deciding which internal players to focus on keeping or moving on from. One intriguing name to keep an eye on will be veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones.

Even though Jones has been with the team since the 2016 season and has been a key starter throughout his tenure with the team, there is a strong chance that the Patriots could opt to let him walk.

Chowder & Champions has predicted that Jones will end up leaving New England this offseason. They also mentioned two names who could be brought in at the cornerback position.

"With Vrabel and Terrell Williams implementing their defensive scheme along with the cornerback depth in free agency, this could indicate that Jones’s tenure in New England is over," they wrote. "The Patriots need another cornerback that can line up opposite of Christian Gonzalez and they could find that just that by signing Charvarius Ward or Carlton Davis III."

During the 2024 NFL season with the Patriots, Jones ended up playing in 17 games. He racked up 58 total tackles to go along with two forced fumbles and six defended passes.

At 31 years old, the honest truth is that he simply doesn't fit the team long-term. New England needs to focus on getting a little younger, but bringing in more defensive playmaking.

Should this be the end of for Jones with the Patriots, he can hang his hat on a solid 132 games with the team. In those games, he totaled 436 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, 11 interceptions, a defensive touchdown, and 57 defended passes.

If New England does move on, Jones should have an easy time finding a new job. The Patriots could bring him back, but this is a scenario to keep a close eye on.

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