It was a stunning plummet from a very good rookie season, and that’s just the kind of fuel that runs the Cowboys rumor mill, which should have ex-Patriots cornerback Jack Jones as a prime target. Dallas owner and GM Jerry Jones loves resuscitating (or trying, at least) the careers of talented players who run into a spot of trouble, and Jack Jones is in a spot of trouble.
The Patriots cut Jones on Monday, and one New England reporter—Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald—pegged the reason as a lack of professionalism. Jones was benched for the Week 9 game against Washington for missing curfew, and was benched again on Sunday against the Colts in Germany. He was seen pouting on the sideline. According to Kyed, that prompted the Patriots to cut ties with Jones.
However, after Trevon Diggs’ injury, Cowboys rumors stated that the team was looking for backup, and Jones is a gifted athlete. Even though he is still only 25, he was previously rated as the 16th best prospect in the country coming out of high school—a rarity for a cornerback.
Stephon Gilmore and DaRon Bland have been excellent even without Diggs, but the Cowboys lack depth. As the third corner, Jourdan Lewis has not fared well this season, ranking just 49.4 (96th out of 112 NFL corners) on Pro Football Focus.
This is where j should fire up the Cowboys rumor mill and show some significant interest in Jack Jones the free agent.
Jack Jones was drafted in the fourth round in 2022 out of Arizona State, and probably would have gone higher if not for the history of trouble in college—he was ruled academically ineligible at USC, then was kicked out of school after he was arrested for a burglary on a Panda Express in 2018. He revived his career, though, at Arizona State.
The Patriots had him on the field for 13 games as a rookie last season, and he looked like a steal. Jones recorded two interceptions, including a pick-6 on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Week 4. He had a 74.7 grade at Pro Football Focus, establishing himself as a solid cornerback going forward. But even then, he struggled with professionalism and was briefly suspended at the end of 2022.
