There’s nothing but star power outside the numbers for the New England Patriots at cornerback, where an All-Pro and a $60-million man reside, but an unheralded incumbent deserves his own payday to reward solid work at a niche position.
Extending the contract of slot specialist Marcus Jones is the one remaining move the Pats should make this offseason. That’s according to ESPN’s Aaron Schatz, who believes “the Patriots can get him under contract with an extension to solidify their special teams and the nickelback position. Jones had 10 passes defensed last season and ranked eighth in success rate in coverage, although the completions he did give up went for a lot of yardage.”
Striking a deal with Jones, who’s set to enter free agency in 2026, is about more than creating a trio of stud cornerbacks. Although a group comprised of sleeper award candidate and shutdown ace Christian Gonzalez, along with high-priced Super Bowl winner Carlton Davis III flanking Jones, would surely be the envy of most of the NFL.
Yet, Schatz makes Jones a priority as part of a necessary rebuild by new head coach Mike Vrabel. He and the Patriots front office must “spend the season sifting through players to keep for their future core, and there aren’t a lot of important players on rookie contracts who will be free agents in 2026. The only one who really matters is Jones, the nickelback and return man.”
That’s a bold statement, but Jones’ specific set of skills justify the praise.
Marcus Jones a Rarity on Patriots Depth Chart
Jones is something of a rarity in New England’s secondary as a true nickel. The Pats have so far resisted putting veteran depth behind the 26-year-old, so Jones has a strong case for getting paid.
His case is strongest based on Jones’ ability to shadow receivers from the slot. He achieved a 52.1 percent shadow rate, when “a defensive back is assigned to a particular receiver on the play as opposed to side of the formation,” last season, per Player Profiler.
The same source also credited Jones with a 73.6 percent man coverage success rate. Playing man effectively has been the hallmark of Patriots corners for years, and that’s unlikely to change after Vrabel and new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams were hired this offseason.
They will appreciate Jones’ athletic range and the speed to stay with deep routes run from inside alignments. It’s something former head coach Bill Belichick applauded and Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS Media highlighted.
Bill Belichick on @thecoach_show: “Speed’s important in [the slot] too. If you don’t have a player that can run with those over routes from the slot in man coverage, you give up some big plays there.”
Marcus Jones covering overs from the slot/inside the numbers:
These plays show how Jones gives the Patriots a distinct advantage in coverage. One likely to be heightened by quarterbacks trying to avoid Gonzalez and Davis by targeting third receivers on the inside more often.
It’s why Jones remains so valuable, even if there’s a temptation to unleash his versatility in other areas more often.
Patriots Lack Credible Slot Alternative to Versatile Playmaker
Jones’ flair on special teams, evidenced by averaging a career-high 14.8 yards per punt return in 2024, per Pro Football Reference, can’t be ignored. Nor can his potential as a dual-threat runner and receiver in sub-packages on offense.
Yet for all his flexibility, Jones is still most important to the Patriots on defense because there isn’t a credible alternative to play nickelback. The closest might be third-year pro Isaiah Bolden, who rebounded from an injury scare in his first preseason to get some slot work in the dime defense during a win over the Chicago Bears in Week 10, per Kyles.
Isaiah Bolden played his first significant defensive snaps near the end of H1 and looked good in man coverage
His 12 total snaps came as the slot CB in a dime package with Jon Jones at S and Marcus Jones outside
Dell Pettus and Marco Wilson replaced the Jones’ in garbage time
Perhaps Bolden can make more progress, but it’s more likely the Patriots continue to lean on Jones as a crucial part of their multiple-defensive back sets. Letting him become a free agent is a risk they don’t need to take.
