With the legal tampering period opening Monday, the Patriots didn’t have the most exciting first day, but they did make a few good moves.
Being able to unload disappointing tight end Jonnu Smith and his bloated contract was huge. It’ll be even better if the Patriots turn that cap space into landing a more impactful player in the days and weeks to come, be it in free agency, the draft or via trade.
Re-signing defensive back Jonathan Jones was another plus on several fronts. Granted, there was no major splash, but there’s still time for the Patriots to upgrade the roster with much-needed talent.
Being in wait-and-see mode isn’t much fun, but it’s way too early to make any sweeping conclusions about what the Patriots did, or didn’t do after just one day.
So let’s take a closer look at one of the early moves that should help the cause going forward.
Re-signing Jones on a two-year deal worth a maximum of $20 million, with $13 million guaranteed spoke volumes.
For the Patriots to lock up Jones right out of the gate was a good first step, and signaled the defensive back’s importance to Bill Belichick.
Jones’ versatility to play in the slot, out on the boundary, and free safety made him indispensable in the Patriots’ view.
He’s been in the system the longest of any defensive back. That knowledge is invaluable to the younger corners, namely Jack Jones and Marcus Jones.
While the 29-year-old isn’t a shutdown corner – his best position is in the slot – he’s still a nice piece to have in the secondary.
The bigger motivation for Belichick to keep the veteran corner in the fold?
Stability and leadership. He needs Jones in the room.
There aren’t many players left who have been a part of championship teams and can help Belichick continue to preach the so-called Patriot Way.
Defensively, along with Jones, who has two rings, Deatrich Wise, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Lawrence Guy, Jalen Mills (with the Eagles) are the only remaining Patriots who have been on Super Bowl-winning teams.
On offense, it’s David Andrews, Trent Brown and James Ferentz.
Matthew Slater is the leading ring man on special teams, while Joe Cardona, if he re-signs, also has championship jewelry.
So with McCourty gone, someone else has to step up and try to not only fill the void on the field, but what he provided in the locker room.
Last week, Jones said he felt like he had watched McCourty so much, and tried to emulate him in every way over the years, that he felt like he had evolved into a younger version of the Patriots great in terms of work ethic, and being a mentor to the younger players. But it doesn’t stop there.
McCourty and Slater, who were part of three championship teams, became extensions of Belichick in the room.
That’s why keeping Jones was important, so he can continue in that light, not to mention the Patriots are thin on the depth chart in the cornerback room.
Even with Jones, the Patriots still need to add more at that position. Several of the top free agents went off the board Monday (Jamel Dean, Cameron Sutton, Patrick Peterson), while Jalen Ramsey went to the Dolphins in a trade. But there’s still time for the Pats to make a move there, or in the draft to solidify the position.
While retaining Jones allows him to assume more of a leadership role, that shouldn’t preclude others from doing the same. Along with Jones, the Patriots need some new faces to enter the leadership picture.
“As a coach, you’re always looking for leaders. Not necessarily captains, but you’re looking for as much leadership as possible,” NBC analyst and Patriots Hall of Famer Rodney Harrison said when reached Monday.
Last year, Deatrich Wise, Ja’Whaun Bentley and Mac Jones were made first-time captains along with mainstays Slater, McCourty, and David Andrews.
Others, such as Jones, Kyle Dugger and Rhamondre Stevenson, also have to step up. The next generation has to start to take over some of the responsibility.
“Coach knows the leaders he has in place. They have to be able to bring people together, make sense out of situations when the players are questioning the coach. So you gotta have guys like that,” said Harrison. “That’s why they paid Devin the type of money they paid him. Because it wasn’t just what he did on the field, it was all the off the field stuff. Pulling guys aside, and having those conversations.”
That leadership was put to the test last year, with Belichick inserting Matt Patricia and Joe Judge at the helm of the offense, and plenty of questions being asked internally.
Bottom line: Belichick needs all the help he can get in the locker room when it comes to backing his moves.
Jones gives him that, and more. Beyond the leadership aspect, re-signing Jones, an undrafted free agent when he hooked on with the Patriots in 2016, also sends a good message.
Jones might not have broken the bank with his deal, but it was competitive if you look at what the better slot corners and safeties are making these days.
So between dumping Smith and his salary, and keeping Jones, it wasn’t a bad day for Belichick.
