The New England Patriots have informed cornerback Jonathan Jones that they will not franchise tag him. This makes the standout corner a free agent free to discuss a contract with any team next week. New England is interested in bringing back Jones next season and will have some time to exclusively work on a deal with him before he can speak with other teams. The team will have to move quickly if they hope to secure him to a long-term deal because plenty of other teams will be interested in signing him this offseason.
The #Patriots won’t franchise tag standout CB Jonathan Jones, source said. He’ll hit the market, though New England has interest in bringing him back.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 7, 2023
This past season as a member of the New England Patriots, Jonathan Jones recorded 56 solo tackles, 69 total tackles, three forced fumbles, 11 passes defended, and four interceptions that he returned for 89 yards and one touchdown. Jones established himself as a top lockdown cornerback this past season and is sure to be one of the most sought-after players in free agency if New England lets him hit the open market.
The decision to not franchise tag Jonathan Jones is an odd one but moves like this are fairly typical for the New England Patriots. Jones, who is 29, will be the top secondary player in free agency and with defensive backs being an area of need for most teams, a franchise tag may have been a good idea.
