After going down with a shoulder injury in September and being placed on injured reserve, there were some questions about whether cornerback Marcus Jones would return to the field this season.
And wide receivers and punt returners coach Troy Brown answered that on Tuesday morning.
Speaking with the media, Brown confirmed that Jones is out for the season after suffering a torn labrum.
Jones went down during the Patriots loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 2 after trying to tackle Jaylen Waddle. The cornerback remained on the ground in clear pain following the play, and trainers rushed over to assist him. He was eventually helped up and was able to walked over to the sidelines with assistance.
As he headed to the blue medical tent, Bill Belichick came over to check on him. He remained in the tent, but later emerged and headed to the locker room. While he was originally marked as questionable to return with a shoulder injury, Jones was downgraded to out after halftime.
This is a major blow for the Patriots who lost their top punt returner, but Demario Douglas has stepped up in recent weeks and has proven to be a real threat.
Jones was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He made an impact his rookies season, returning a game-winning punt return against the New York Jets in Week 1, along with an offensive touchdown in Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills and a defensive touchdown (pick-six) against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16.
The Patriots also lose a key cornerback, with Christian Gonzalez being sidelined for the season as well. But with the addition of J.C. Jackson along with Jack Jones coming off injured reserve and Jonathan Jones bouncing back from an ankle injury, the secondary is in good hands.
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