The gun charges against New England Patriots cornerback Jack Jones were dropped by the Suffolk County District Attorney on Tuesday as part of a plea agreement.
Per MassLive’s Chris Mason, Jones agreed to a deal with the Boston Municipal Court that includes one year of pretrial probation and 48 hours of community service in exchange for a guilty plea to an airport security violation.
The charges stemmed from an incident in June in which Jones allegedly attempted to board a flight at the Logan International Airport with firearms. Per Mason, Jones is not exempt from the NFL’s personal conduct policy, which means his Week 1 availability could still be up in the air.
From a football perspective, the news of Jones’ plea to a lesser charge undoubtedly helps the Patriots’ secondary depth. Jones is expected to be one of the top corners for the team, along with Jonathan Jones and rookie first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez. The Patriots have the hardest schedule in the NFL, and they will face many deep passing offenses.
They’ll face one right from the get-go as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 10 in the season opener. Jones’ availability at this time is unknown, but the recent turn of events is certainly a welcome development as it relates to him being on the field at some point.
New England will look to get back to the playoffs after falling short last year with an 8-9 record. Defense was a calling card for the team last season, and that looks to be the case in 2023.
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