FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots placed four-year punter veteran Jake Bailey and rookie cornerback Jack Jones on the reserve/suspension list on Friday.
Both players were on injured reserve — Bailey with a back injury, Jones with a knee injury — and the Patriots rolled back their suspensions to Dec. 31. That puts two game checks at risk for both players and could threaten Bailey’s guaranteed cash on a lucrative $13.5 million four-year extension he signed in August.
Placing a player on the reserve/suspension list will void future warranties, but a player may appeal to arbitration.
Bailey, who was a 2020 first-team All-Pro, was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 19. He endured a season in which he crashed to the bottom of the NFL rankings with a 42.1 average and a 35.3 net worth.
The Patriots officially named Bailey to return from injured reserve on December 21, and he attended portions of practice over the next two weeks.
According to a source, the team’s suspension is partly due to differing views on whether Bailey was ready to return to action.
Jones injured his knee in the opening series of the Patriots’ 27-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals on December 12. In the dressing room after the game, Jones told reporters he didn’t think it was a serious injury, but the team eventually placed him on IR on December 31.
Reporters saw Jones empty his belongings from his locker into a large bag last Friday, which appeared to indicate he was leaving the team rather than proceeding with his rehabilitation.
According to a source, the suspension is partly related to Jones being fined by the team for missing rehabilitation appointments.
Jones’ agent Jamal Tooson said in a statement: “Jack is focused on recovering and returning as soon as possible to help the Patriots. The suspension appears to be based on misunderstandings regarding Jack’s rehab process and we will find an amicable solution for Jack and the Patriots.”
The Patriots selected Jones in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft, with player personnel director Matt Groh acknowledging how much time he’s spent following his college career, which included an arrest leading to a count of the commercial burglary.
Jones, 25, began his college career in 2016 and 2017 at USC, was later declared academically ineligible and attended Moorpark Junior College for the 2018 season before transferring to Arizona State. In 2020, he was suspended for fighting during a practice in Arizona State.
The Patriots (8-8) visit the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
If they win, they secure a spot in the playoffs. They will also qualify for the postseason with a loss, as the Miami Dolphins lose to the New York Jets, the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Cleveland Browns, and the Tennessee Titans to the Jacksonville Jaguars.