Ball-Hawking Marcus Jones Was Patriots' Best CB This Past Week vs. Eagles

Christian Gonzalez remained sidelined this week with an ankle injury as the New England Patriots took on the Philadelphia Eagles in joint practices this week. Carlton Davis, who missed some time with a hamstring injury, is no longer limited, but remains just a step behind.

So it's been Marcus Jones leading the charge for the Patriots' secondary this week, and his three interceptions off of Jalen Hurts prove just that. The slot cornerback, heading into his fifth season with the Patriots, was more than just the top slot defender on the field.

He was easily the Patriots' best cornerback (and possibly defensive player) against the Eagles.

The Patriots picked the Eagles off seven times in a two-day span, and Jones was responsible for three of those. At least two of them would have been returned for a touchdown, but considering Jones' skills with the ball in his hands, you could have assumed the third one would have been returned as well.

"I feel like we're always trying to get turnovers," Jones said. "I'm a hard critic of the DB room, so I feel like, you know, there's always room for improvement."

Aug 19, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (25) covers Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Elijah Moore (19) during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jones Was A Turnover Machine This Week

On Thursday, Jones was repping as the top slot cornerback on the Patriots defense. With the Eagles working towards the end zone, Jones maneuvered the sideline to keep his feet in bounds and nab one of his takeaways.

"I kind of felt the pressure of (Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks) trying to get back to the sideline and everything, and made sure to drive toward him a little bit," Jones said. "The next thing I was like, 'The ball in here, you got to make a play.'"

And make a play he did. It's hard to truly judge which team "won" the practices, but Jones was a clear winner himself against an Eagles passing offense that could surprise some people after plenty of turnover this offseason.

"Whenever we do make turnovers, as you could tell, we’re trying to score with the ball. We don’t get too many opportunities like that, so we’ve got to take advantage of it," Jones said. "When it comes down to being a DB, you’ve got to have confidence in knowing the break and knowing to go get the ball."

It wasn't just the interceptions where Jones made his mark. He also got into a mini skirmish with Wicks after a play, with both players grabbing onto each other's face masks before being broken up by teammates: "It's just competitive out there," Jones said.

What Jones' Role Could Be In 2026:

It's obvious that the starting trio for the Patriots will be Gonzalez, Davis and Jones. Behind them, a clump of players (Charles Woods, Kindle Vildor, Karon Prunty) are fighting for the reserve spots. But that group of three will lead New England into battle this season.

It will be a lot of what's worked for Jones in the past, operating out of the slot and potentially lining up against some bigger receivers. At 5-foot-8, Jones easily plays taller than his stature suggests, and when you factor in his ability to return punts, the captain remains one of the Patriots' best weapons.

Right now, there might be some worry about Gonzalez's lack of a contract negotiation (a subscription I'm not yet subscribing to) and how that might impact the Patriots secondary this season.

Based on how this week went, while Jones won't step into Gonzalez's role as a perimeter cornerback, his talents might just stack up in some ways. These last two practices certainly proved that.

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