New England Patriots: Predicting 5 most surprising roster cuts of 2018
5. CB Cyrus Jones
It has been a rough go of things for Cyrus Jones since the Patriots made him a second-round pick back in 2016. During his two years in the league, he’s managed to see the field in only 10 games while serving primarily as a return man.
Unfortunately, he was drafted to make an impact at cornerback, something he’s been unable to do up to this point. While missing his entire sophomore season due to a torn ACL didn’t help his case, he was already at a disadvantage after struggling to earn defensive snaps as a rookie — and struggling when he did get on the field.
Despite spending all of 2017 on the mend, it’s unclear when Jones will return.
Cyrus Jones, who will open camp on PUP, might be cleared by his knee surgeon as early as this week, per source. The question from there, though, is how quickly the Patriots will push him into action.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) July 23, 2018
The more reps he misses, the harder it’ll be for him to force his way into the cornerback competition. Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty, Eric Rowe, Duke Dawson and Jonathan Jones all seem like locks, while Ryan Lewis and J.C. Jackson have created significant hype heading into training camp. Put simply, it’s going to take a colossal effort from Jones to stay in town.
Personally, I had very high hopes for Jones coming out of Alabama. His two-way talents as a cornerback and returner seemed like just what he needed to remain a Patriot for many years. Based on the way things have gone, though, his time in New England could be over before it really even gets going.