The New England Patriots' pass defense experienced significant turnover this offseason. Carlton Davis III was signed to replace Jonathan Jones as an outside starter, Jabrill Peppers was released, and Kyle Dugger has been buried in the depth chart in favor of veteran Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson. Even Marte Mapu has fully transitioned to linebacker.
It would be easy to focus on the new names in the defensive backfield, or star cornerback Christian Gonzalez's influence, but slot corner Marcus Jones has been impossible to ignore. Jones got some early notoriety for his play in all three phases, becoming the first player in 75 years to record a touchdown on offense, defense, and special teams in the same season.
While his special teams ability is noted around the league as a great strength, his coverage as a full-time slot man has been excellent this year.
Gonzalez and Davis starting on the outside was a given, and Jones starting in the slot was assumed during the preseason. Nonetheless, Alex Austin's strong camp and Craig Woodson's nickel versatility put some pressure on the former Houston Cougar.
In the end, he kept his role and hasn't budged from the slot since. He notched his first career sack against Spencer Rattler on Sunday, marking his importance to the defense.
.@Patriots CB Marcus Jones registered his first career sack in the fourth quarter at New Orleans when he took down QB Spencer Rattler for a 3-yard loss to force a field goal. pic.twitter.com/nTcmHYHVji
— Patriots Communications (@PatriotsComms) October 12, 2025
Marcus Jones is one of the Patriots' defense's most important players
There's little doubt that the Patriots have some key defensive players who are prominent names in the broader scope of the league. Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, and Harold Landry all star along the defensive front, with Robert Spillane behind them and Christian Gonzalez on the boundary. After that five-some, Jones might be the most important defender on the squad.
Carlton Davis is paid handsomely, but has consistently struggled with flags and was a major liability when Christian Gonzalez was out. Christian Elliss is paid upwards of $7 million to be a star in his role at linebacker, but has consistently not been up to par.
Keion White has been a non-factor. Jones is the type of high-quality slot option the Patriots have been looking for since Jonathan Jones made the move outside, and he has finally reached that elite level.
The 2022 third-round pick has a 62.0 overall PFF grade and allows less than three catches a game. He recorded an 83.0 overall grade against the Bills in primetime and a 78.6 overall grade against the Saints, his two best scores of the season.
His 88.2 run defense grade in 2024 shows how elite he is in run force as well. Jones is a key facet of the Patriots' defense and one of the best slot cornerbacks in football.