The New England Patriots officially parted ways with longtime cornerback and two-time Super Bowl champion Jonathan Jones on Wednesday.
Jones is bidding Foxbrough farewell to sign a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders, according to ESPN’s Jeremey Fowler. The 31-year-old shared a mutual interest in a return to New England but first wanted to explore the open market while the franchise continued its free agency spending spree. Now, Jones will take the field for a different team for the first time in his 10-year career, while the Patriots lose their longest-tenured defensive player.
New England signed Jones to a three-year, $1.63 million deal after the Auburn product went undrafted in 2016. Jones ran with the opportunity to establish himself as an NFL cornerback and carved out a role with the Patriots, appearing in three Super Bowls with the organization before earning a three-year, $21 million payday in 2019. The last remaining members from New England’s last Vince Lombardi Trophy-seizing team are center David Andrews, linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley and long snapper Joe Cardona.
The Patriots signed 28-year-old cornerback Carlton Davis to a three-year, $54 million deal on Monday, which signaled the incoming split with Jones. Davis, a younger, more physical veteran choice, suits New England’s direction under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel as the team strives to shake off consecutive last-place finishes in the AFC East. Davis totaled 56 tackles and two interceptions with the Detroit Lions before suffering a season-ending jaw injury in Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills.
Jones totaled 58 total tackles, including 41 solo tackles, with six passes defended and two forced fumbles across 17 appearances last season for the Patriots. He appeared in 132 games across his nine-year run with New England, racking up 436 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 11 interceptions, 57 pass breakups and 10 forced fumbles.
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The Patriots and their fanbase will always remember Jones as a core component of their special teams unit, who helped the franchise reach the top of the mountain twice before lasting nearly a decade in Foxborough.