The New England Patriots season is effectively over, and the once-great franchise could trade cornerback Jonathan Jones over the next few weeks. An undrafted free agent following the 2016 NFL Draft, the Auburn product overcame his nonexistent draft capital to establish himself as a key piece on the defense. One of the few holdovers remaining from the Patriots dynasty, Jones spent the past nine seasons moving around New England’s secondary, primarily playing in the slot but also showing the ability to move out wide and mirror opposing wide receivers.
The Patriots defense might be in rough shape, but Jones himself is having a strong season. According to Pro Football Focus, the former undrafted free agent currently ranks 47th out of 105 eligible cornerbacks with a 66.5 PFF grade. PFF grades aren’t gospel, but this mark shows the veteran can still be a solid if unspectacular part of the right defense. While New England might prefer a draft pick to the 31-year-old cornerback, contending teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers should be more than willing to trade for Jonathan Jones.
Patriots Could Trade Jonathan Jones to Chiefs, Chargers
The Kansas City Chiefs are the NFL’s last undefeated team, but they’re not quite as good as their record suggests. While they’re still the NFL’s team to beat, the reigning Super Bowl champions have some holes in their armor. While most of the focus rests on the Chiefs wide receivers, Kansas City also lost starting cornerback Jaylen Watson to a fractured ankle. Effectively taking over for the departed L’Jarius Sneed, the former fourth-round pick had a strong season opposite star cornerback Trent McDuffie, and the Chiefs might have to trade for Jonathan Jones to fill that void.
As mentioned above, Jonathan Jones primarily played in the slot with the New England Patriots, which is where Trent McDuffie spends a decent chunk of his time. However, both players are versatile enough to move around the defense and play multiple assignments. While their skillsets are a little redundant, a great defensive coordinator like Steve Spagnuolo should find a way to get the most out of a Jonathan Jones trade. Beggars can’t be choosers, and Jones might be the best option available as the Chiefs pursue their third Super Bowl in as many seasons.
Defense Wins Championships
The Los Angeles Chargers dropped to 3-3 because of the complete lack of talent at wide receiver, and the team should do something to address that issue in the coming weeks. However, this is Jim Harbaugh’s team, which means the old-school coach will have his eye on the defensive side of the ball. The Chargers have one of the league’s better defenses, but that shouldn’t stop them from pursuing a Jonathan Jones trade. Kristian Fulton is having a remarkable season, but this team could use another body with Asante Samuel Jr on the injured reserve.
The Chargers are probably too far back to win the AFC West, but they still have a decent shot at a Wild Card spot. While the team probably cannot rebuild their wide receiver room overnight, they can trade for Jonathan Jones and try to win with defense and an opportunistic offense. Los Angeles shares a division with elite quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, so they must get as many reliable defenders as possible to try and slow down these offenses.
Main Photo: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports
