The same day the New England Patriots decided to part ways with a pair of holdovers from the Bill Belichick era, they also committed to another long-term. Cornerback Marcus Jones was awarded with a three-year, $36 million contract extension that will tie him to the organization through the 2028 season.
Listening to head coach Mike Vrabel speak about the 27-year-old, it is no surprise the team wanted to make sure to lock him up beyond the duration of his rookie contract.
“He embodies everything that
we’re looking for here in a player and a teammate on the field and in the community,” Vrabel told the media at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday. “Something we were excited about doing. Glad that he wanted to get that done and wanted to be with us moving forward.”
Jones originally arrived in New England as the 85th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. A three-way player coming out of Houston, he scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams during his rookie campaign, and was named first-team All-Pro punt returner in his first season.
A shoulder injury cost him most of his sophomore campaign, but he quickly got back on track in 2023 — starting a career-high nine games in the Patriots’ secondary under short-lived head coach Jerod Mayo. Jones kept trending in the right direction throughout, but in 2025 made yet another leap: while no longer used on offense, he is now a fixture in New England’s defensive backfield.
Unlike other returning veterans such as the now-traded Kyle Dugger and Keion White, Jones had no issue with adapting to a new scheme and coaching staff.
“Sometimes the transition from players with new coaches can be hard,” Jones acknowledged. “The first time I met Vrabes, he was at Tennessee and just the conversations of talking to him and everything like that, I knew he was a good guy. Bringing him here was a blessing. And then the standard that he always ends up having, being a captain of this team and stuff like that — we are always eye to eye.”
In the first eight games of Vrabel’s tenure as head coach, Jones has played 76% of defensive snaps and registered two interceptions as well as nine total pass breakups. For comparison, he was on the field for only 65% of snaps in his 14 games last year.
Additionally, he continues to be a top-tier punt returner and realistic candidate to again be recognized as an All-Pro in the game’s third phase.
“He deserves every penny,” fellow cornerback Christian Gonzalez said in the locker room on Wednesday. “He makes plays for us, not just on defense but on special teams as a returner. He’s a great person, great great leader. Always has high energy, always laughing, always smiling. Just so happy for him that he deserves it and that he gets that payday and to enjoy it with his family and his love.”
For Jones himself, his new contract — which pays him a base value of $36 million and also offers an extra $4.5 million in incentives — is a reward for years of hard work. It also is a sign of appreciation on the team’s part.
“It meant a lot,” he said. “I was drafted here, so seeing that they love that I bring certain things to the table and also being a part of an organization from the beginning all the way to now.”
