Bill Belichick expects cornerback Jack Jones to play on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The New England Patriots coach said as much when speaking with media members about the second-year defensive back’s availability.
“Yes, he should be available,” Belichick said, via NESN’s Zack Cox.
Buy Patriots TicketsJones’ ongoing legal situation, stemming from multiple charges in an alleged incident involving firearms, was dropped after he reached a plea deal with the Boston Municipal Court. In exchange for pleading guilty, he was given one year of pretrial probation and 48 hours of community service.
Jones was an important part of the New England secondary as a rookie in 2022. He recorded 25 tackles and two interceptions last season. He emerged as a key figure in the New England secondary and will look to headline a unit that also includes Jonathan Jones and rookie first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez.
This is good news for the Patriots, as the Eagles ranked third in the league with an average of 389.1 yards per game in 2022. They had 4,105 total passing yards on the season, which was good enough for ninth in the NFL.
Simply put, the Philadelphia passing attack should give New England a challenge.
Belichick expects Jack Jones to play Sunday with his legal situation now behind him:
"Yes, he should be available."
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) September 6, 2023
Jack Jones’ availability keeps needed depth for a unit that might have struggled without him on the field.