Cornerback Jack Jones has had an eventful 2023. Just imagine what'll happen now that he's on the field.
Injuries and an offseason arrest (where charges were later dropped) have unfortunately defined Jones' second season with the New England Patriots. He has returned to action and has been thrust into the role as one of the elder statesmen on the defense with injuries to regulars season like Marcus Jones (no relation) and Matthew Judon.
Such a promotion gives amateur and professional Patriot observers alike something to watch as New England (2-6) prepares to play out a mostly meaningless second half that kicks off on Sunday against the Washington Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Fox). It'll be Jones' third game back after losing the first six weeks of the year due to a hamstring issue.
“I feel good getting back into the defense, getting out there playing,” Jones said, per Dakota Randall of NESN. “I mean, it’s only been two weeks. I’m just getting started.”
Jones' start is a continuation of the aggressiveness he showed over his rookie season, for better and worse. He's been getting in the backfield and has earned some top assignments in consecutive matchups against high-octane division competition (Buffalo and Miami). In that span, he has racked up seven tackles, a pass breakup, and a pressure ... as well as three penalties for 53 yards.
Having established a reputation as a bit of a ballhawk ... one of his first introductions to the professional game was a pick-six of Aaron Rodgers ... Jones says he wants to use the rest of the season to work on going after the ball in a healthy, laundry-free manner.
"Just go and get the ball, however it may come. Strip, pick, however. Back my mind is, ‘Go get the ball,'" Jones said. "(I) definitely have some good guys around me in the DB room, coaches, just pushing me to do the right thing. So, that made it a quicker process.”
Despite the continued growing pains, Jones believes that his patience is the most improved aspect from year one-to-two and he hopes to keep showing his enhanced virtue over the rest of the year with expected regulars like Christian Gonzalez done for the year.
"Not being so thirsty to go and get the game, this year, I feel like I’m being a lot more patient and letting the game come to me," Jones noted. "Playing DB, that’s a critical part of the game.
“It is really unfortunate that we lost really good players. But we've got to focus on the team, and the backups, and the next-man-up mentality.”
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