Cornerback Jack Jones has quickly found a new home with a familiar face at head coach.
Jones, waived on Monday by the New England Patriots, has been claimed by the Las Vegas Raiders, NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported, via Jones’ agent J. Tooson, on Tuesday. The team later announced the transaction.
Jones will reunite with Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce. Pierce was Jones’ high school head coach at Long Beach Poly and later was an assistant at Arizona State when Jones played there from 2019-2021.
Jones, 25, started 13 games as a rookie for the Patriots last season and showed worlds of promise, but has had a trying follow-up season.
He’s played in five games with zero starts in 2023, earning a 46.6 overall grade from PFF.
Jones has also been troubled with off-field issues.
He was arrested in June at Logan Airport in Boston after two firearms were found in his carry-on luggage. Jones agreed to serve one year of probation and 48 hours of community service in a plea deal in which eight of nine weapons charges were dropped.
Jones and cornerback J.C. Jackson were each benched to start the Patriots’ Week 9 game after reportedly returning to the team hotel after curfew. Jones was also benched at the onset of the team’s Week 10 game against the Colts, which proved to be his last game with the Pats.
As the Patriots linger at 2-8, Jones heads to a Raiders team that is 2-0 under Pierce, who was promoted to interim head coach following the firing of Josh McDaniels.
At 5-5, Las Vegas has found some renewed hope and might offer Jones the same.
