NFL insider: Jack Jones returning to Patriots feels like an ‘extreme long shot’
Jones's arrest, which officials say stemmed from guns in his luggage, could possibly end his Patriots career.
Jack Jones arrived at East Boston District Court on Tuesday to face weapons charges stemming from his recent arrest at Logan Airport.
He has been released on $30,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court for a probable cause hearing on August 18.
Officials said that Jones had a pair of firearms in his luggage that were discovered during a routine TSA security check.
The Patriots will have to decide whether or not to keep Jones once, or maybe even before, his case has been decided. According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the chances of Jones remaining with the Patriots are slim.
“He’s in a lot [of trouble],” Howe said during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher and Rich. “We’ll start with the team. The team is understandably and obviously livid over the situation. Putting himself in a position like this is — at any time of year, but really after breaking minicamp and all that stuff, it’s just … they’re livid.”
According to The Boston Globe, Jones is facing the following charges: Two counts of possession of a concealed weapon in a secure area of an airport, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, and possession of a large-capacity feeding device.
“I mean, if he’s convicted, he’s looking at a mandatory 18-month sentence,” Howe said. “And there’s a likelihood of a two-year enhancement on that 18 months because the weapons were allegedly loaded. So just right off the bat there, it’s a strong possibility — if convicted, he’s looking at a minimum of three and a half years.”
Howe said that he would be “very, very surprised” if Jack Jones remains a Patriot.
“I wouldn’t be surprised — again, if they find out something or understand what the likelihood is that it doesn’t look good for him on the legal side — I can’t rule out the fact that they could move on from him as early as this week,” Howe said. “I don’t know if that’s going to be the case. But this is some really, really serious stuff. Understanding the tenor of the frustration at Gillette Stadium over this, just put it all together and reading the writing on the wall, they could move on from him way earlier than the start of the season.”
Jones played in 13 games as a rookie last season and came into minicamp expected to compete for a starting spot at cornerback. Now, it’s unclear whether he’ll return to the Patriots as his legal case plays out.
“The chances of him being in a Patriots uniform in the 2023 season are — it feels like an extreme long shot,” said Howe.
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