Bill Belichick expects Jack Jones to be available for Week 1

Patriots

Jones was facing weapons charges until he got them dropped this week.

Jack Jones is expected to be available to play in the Patriots home opener against the Eagles on Sunday, Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters on Wednesday.

Jones, who was facing weapons charges after authorities said a pair of guns were found in his luggage at Logan Airport in June, reached a deal with the Suffolk district attorney’s office on Tuesday.

Jones was placed on probation and has agreed to do 48 hours of community service in exchange for the charges being dropped.

While it appears his legal status has been settled, the possibility of the NFL punishing Jones hasn’t been ruled out.

“I’m not going to get into that,” Belichick said when asked about a potential punishment from the league. “Talk to the league and see what they have to say. Anything from them will come from them, not from me.”

Jones continued to practice with the Patriots while his legal case played out. He was active throughout minicamp, OTAs, and training camp, as well as playing in preseason games.

 “He’s done a good job,” Belichick said. “He’s been on the field. He’s played in all the games and practiced. He’s been out there.”

The second-year cornerback had a promising start to his rookie season last year, playing in 13 games with 30 tackles and a pair of interceptions. He was suspended near the end of the season for an undisclosed reason.

But, the Patriots stuck by the 2022 fourth-round pick and brought him back this season.

New England’s depth at the cornerback position could take a hit if Jones ends up being punished by the league.

The Patriots will likely start rookie Christian Gonzalez at cornerback. Veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones has been injured throughout much of the preseason but is expected to return soon. Do-it-all athlete Marcus Jones has been getting a lot of reps during the preseason.

But, unless any major developments occur, it appears as if Jack Jones will be ready to play as the Patriots open the season.