FOXBORO, Mass. — During a recent Patriots position meeting, Jonathan Jones found himself feeling, well, old.
He’s not, really. The New England cornerback has yet to celebrate his 30th birthday (that’s coming up this September) and should still have several productive seasons left in his NFL career. But compared to most of his fellow Patriots defensive backs, Jones is a grizzled vet.
And with Devin McCourty now residing in the Patriots’ retirement house, Jones looks like an ideal candidate to succeed the longtime free safety as a team captain.
McCourty served as a captain for all but one of his 13 seasons in New England, ascending to that role after his rookie year and never relinquishing it. He was the unquestioned leader of the Patriots’ secondary and the only notable offseason departure for a defense that re-signed nearly all of its internal free agents.
“It’s hard not to (miss his presence),” said Jones, who was one of those players who re-upped back in March. “Dev is just one of those guys, even in the room if he’s not speaking, you notice that he’s there. So we definitely miss that presence, and guys are having to step up.”
Jones is one of those guys. While he’s not the oldest player in the Patriots’ defensive backfield — that honor belongs to 31-year-old safety Adrian Phillips, or, if you include special teamers, 33-year-old Cody Davis — he’s by far the longest-tenured. Jones is entering his eighth season in New England, having signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2016. Every other current Patriots DB arrived in 2020 or later.
At cornerback, the disparity is even starker.
Five of Jones’ position mates were selected in the last two NFL drafts: Jack Jones and Marcus Jones in 2022, and Christian Gonzalez, Ameer Speed and Isaiah Bolden in 2023. Another was a 2022 UDFA (Quandre Mosely). Shaun Wade came in in 2021 and has played just 29 career snaps. Tae Hayes and Rodney Randle, UDFAs in 2019, have appeared in 13 and zero NFL games. Myles Bryant is the second-most experienced member of that position group, and he’s just 25 years old. Jalen Mills was in Jonathan Jones’ 2016 NFL rookie class, but he’s spent just two seasons in New England and reportedly is moving to safety.
“When we start to talk about the history and how things have been, I think a lot of the guys look at me as the guy who’s kind of been around,” said Jones, who transitioned from the slot to outside corner last season and started 16 games there. “I’ve had some experience and I’ve done a few things, and you look around, and it’s a lot of young guys. I’m like, ‘I’m not that old yet.’ But they kind of look up to you, and they want answers. They want answers. When young guys come in, they’re hungry.”
Jones can provide that insight. Having caught the final four years of the Tom Brady era, he’s the only current Patriots defensive back who’s won a Super Bowl or even a playoff game with the franchise. In fact, he’s one of just three defensive players on the roster who have seen action in a postseason victory for New England. Defensive linemen Lawrence Guy and Deatrich Wise are the others. Linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley was on the team during its 2018 Super Bowl run but missed most of that season with an injury.
Wise and Bentley both were Patriots captains last season, as were quarterback Mac Jones, center David Andrews and special teamer Matthew Slater. McCourty is the lone member of that leadership council who no longer is under contract. There’s no requirement for a defensive back to be among New England’s captains — there wasn’t one between Rodney Harrison’s final season in that role and McCourty’s first — and safeties Phillips and Kyle Dugger also would be viable candidates to take on that responsibility.
But Jones, who clearly has the respect of head coach Bill Belichick and his Patriots teammates, would be a natural choice.
“Especially with Devin gone, (Jones) gives us a lot of leadership presence back there,” Belichick said in late March after McCourty retired and Jones re-signed. He’s been a great player for us for a long time in a lot of different roles, including the kicking game, which is where he started. He epitomizes what we want in a Patriot player. It’s great to have him.”
Jones also could be part of the plan to replace McCourty on the field. Though there’s no obvious successor for the future Patriots Hall of Famer on the roster, Jones is one of more than a half-dozen current Patriots who have taken snaps at free safety in the past.
