The Patriots are maximizing their Monday.
New England is expected to re-sign cornerback Jonathan Jones to a two-year deal worth $20 million with $13 million guaranteed, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
With the opening of the NFL's negotiation window, Jones was just about to truly begin his free-agent experience when the news arrived that he wouldn't need to find moving services. Jones is sticking around while his teammate, tight end Jonnu Smith, is preparing to head south to Atlanta after he was traded to the Falcons on Monday, kicking off a busy week in Foxborough.
Jones' retention became a greater priority when safety Devin McCourty announced his retirement just a few days ago. As he nears his 30th birthday, Jones could potentially replace McCourty by sliding over to safety, but it's certainly not a necessity, considering Jones still landed within the top 40 among cornerbacks in Pro Football Focus' defensive grades in 2022 despite playing outside after a career spent largely in the slot.
Jones ranked as Gregg Rosenthal's No. 31 free agent in the 2023 class. New England was able to keep him from testing the waters of free agency, returning him to a secondary that features another talented defensive back by the same last name: Jack Jones. We'll see what New England has in store for the elder Jones in 2023.
