The Patriots are closing in on a deal for fourth-year cornerback Jonathan Jones, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Given a second-round tender this offseason, Jones is nearing a long-term extension before New England’s Week 1 game.
It’s a three-year deal worth $21MM in base value, Rapoport tweets. Jones could earn up to $25MM and will receive $13MM guaranteed. He was slated to play for $3.095MM on the tender. The Patriots landed Jones as a 2016 UDFA out of Auburn.
Jones has not missed a regular-season game since coming into the league, though he did miss the 2017 AFC championship game and Super Bowl LII. The corner has been a part-time starter as a pro, opening with the Pats’ first unit in 10 games. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 73 corner last season.
This deal would tie the soon-to-be 26-year-old defender to the Patriots through the 2022 season. He and second-round pick Joejuan Williams would be the only Pats DBs signed through 2022. Stephon Gilmore‘s deal runs through 2021. Jones remains part of a deep New England cornerback corps, joining also Jason McCourty and J.C. Jackson. The Pats dealt from their surplus, unloading 2018 second-rounder Duke Dawson and Keion Crossen, recently but are prioritizing Jackson.