Raiders claim troubled ex-Patriot off waivers

Jul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive back Jack Jones (53) waves to the crowd during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots waived cornerback Jack Jones on Monday, and the troubled defensive back did not make it to free agency.

Jones was claimed off waivers on Tuesday by the Las Vegas Raiders, according to his agent. As Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes, the move reunites Jones with Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce, who coached Jones in high school and at Arizona State.

The #Raiders have claimed CB Jack Jones off waivers from the #Patriots, according to his agent @jtoosonlaw. Jones is reunited with Antonio Pierce, his coach in high school and Long Beach Poly and in college at Arizona State. pic.twitter.com/Tk0BaIkbdD

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 14, 2023

The Patriots selected Jones in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of USC. He appeared in 13 games as a rookie last year and made two starts. The 25-year-old was suspended for New England’s final game of the regular season for an unknown reason.

Several months later, Jones was arrested at Logan Airport in Boston after two firearms were found in his carry-on luggage. The charges were dropped just before Week 1 after Jones agreed to one year of pretrial probation and 48 hours of community service.

The issues for Jones continued in recent weeks. He and fellow cornerback JC Jackson were benched for several series at the start of the Patriots’ Week 9 game against the Washington Commanders. Jackson did not travel with the team to Germany for Sunday’s game. Jones made the trip overseas but only played 10 snaps.

Jones is a talented player with plenty to prove, and Pierce is giving him a second chance.