Patriots Predicted to Make Surprising Free Agent Move

You would think that one of the primary goals of the New England Patriots during the NLF offseason will be to get younger, especially when it comes to aging players slated to hit the open market.

For example, long-time Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones is about to head into free agency, and the general consensus is that New England will allow the 31-year-old to walk.

However, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler does not think it is so cut and dry.

While discussing the chances of the Pats retaining Jones this offseason, Fowler actually seems to project that the Patriots will re-sign him.

"The Patriots' free agency class is among the league's weakest, a reflection of the team's overall talent," Fowler wrote. "They likely won't prioritize many in-house players. But Jones is a nine-year Patriot who can retire there with a new deal as a complementary part of the secondary."

Jones played in every game this season, registering 58 tackles, a couple of forced fumbles and six passes defended. He posted a 60.7 overall grade over at Pro Football Focus.

It seems pretty clear that the Auburn product is declining, so it would probably be wise for New England to cut bait with him in the coming months.

However, the Pats had the opportunity to move Jones at the trade deadline and opted to keep him, so perhaps that's a sign that the Patriots are thinking about re-upping with the veteran.

Jones was an undrafted free agent who landed with New England in 2016 and has gone on to win two Super Bowl championships with the club, so he obviously has a rich history in Foxborough.

The Pats have massive cap room, so they can definitely afford to keep Jones, but they may decide to go in a separate direction.