New England Patriots DC close trade talks with Jonathan Jones

The New England Patriots are on their way to the NFL Trade Deadline Tuesday with quite a few players they could move.

Jonathan Jones is one of the top names being rumored as a potential candidate. Quite a few contenders in the league could use some help at the cornerback position.

While he’s been mentioned in a lot of rumors and speculation, there seems to be a chance the Patriots would rather keep him around.

New England defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington spoke about Jones and talked about how important he is to the team.

“(He) brings to our team, what he’s going to bring to our team for the future, and what he’s going to do for us on Sunday,” Covington said.

Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald noted that it sounded like Covington doesn’t expect Jones to be traded.

Jones has been a great leader for the Patriots defense. He would have good trade value, but he could provide even more value as a mentor to the young team.

So far this season, Jones has totaled 28 tackles in eight games, plus a forced fumble and three passes defensed. He hasn’t made the biggest impact, but he’s been solid and consistent.

While Covington sounds like he’s hinting that Jones won’t be traded, anything could happen. If a team comes in and makes an aggressive offer for him, New England may have to consider pulling the trigger.

At 31 years old, Jones could be a piece that keeps the team going for a few years. However, the Patriots may choose to get younger as they continue their rebuild.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming days. Jones will be a name to keep a close eye on. For those who want to see New England retain Jones, this is exactly the kind of thing they want to hear.

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