The Patriots will not use the franchise tag to retain their No. 1 cornerback.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported New England will not tag Jonathan Jones ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline, adding the team “still has interest in bringing him back.”
That decision should not surprise Patriots fans.
Jones has been a valuable player for New England for several years, and his 2022 shift from the slot to outside corner was largely successful. But the franchise tag value for cornerbacks is $18.1 million — more than double the $7 million annually Jones earned on his last contract and far more than he’s likely to command on the open market.