Patriots Predicted to Trade Key Defender

The New England Patriots are being predicted to trade a key member of their defense.

August 8, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones (31) on the sideline during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The one bright spot for the New England Patriots last season was their defense, which ranked seventh in the NFL in yards allowed.

However, the rebuilding Patriots may be reshaping their roster on the defensive side of the ball.

New England has already dealt star pass rusher Matthew Judon, and Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox feels that cornerback Jonathan Jones could be next.

Knox listed Jones among the top 10 players on his NFL trade big board heading into Week 1, and moving the veteran defender would certainly make sense for a similar reason to Judon: Jones is entering the final year of his contract.

Jones turns 31 years old this month, so keeping him around doesn't make much sense for a Pats franchise that is trying to turn the page.

Heck, you would think Jones himself would prefer to join a contender at this stage.

The Auburn product has become an impressive success story with the Patriots, as he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and was so impressive in training camp that New England gave him a roster spot right off the bat.

Since then, Jones has developed into an integral member of New England's secondary. He has never made a Pro Bowl, but he has been a consistent contributor, and last season, he played in 14 games and registered 48 tackles and seven passes defended.

Knox has specifically named the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as potential landing spots for Jones, who won Super Bowls with the Pats during the 2016-17 and 2018-19 campaigns.

Jones probably won't bring back a whole lot in a trade, but again, the Patriots almost certainly won't be re-signing him next offseason anyway. They may as well move him now and recoup whatever value they can before losing him for nothing next March.

The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 5, but it would not be surprising to see New England sell off some pieces long before then.

Let's be honest: the Pats aren't contending for much of anything this year, so they probably don't need to wait until midseason to make some trades.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• NFL Analyst Makes Brutal Patriots Prediction
• Patriots’ Tom Brady Reveals His Greatest Game
• Patriots Have Major Interest in Colorado Star
• Raiders Predicted to Land Former Patriots QB
• Patriots Sign Tallest Player in Franchise History