PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK: Jonathan Jones playing catch-up

After missing nearly two weeks of practice, cornerback-special teamer Jonathan Jones is working his way back into the mix. Jones suffered an ankle injury in the 2017 postseason that led to his placement on the injured reserve list in January and the physically unable to perform list as the outset of training camp.

FOXBORO – Jonathan Jones’ NFL career has taken him from one list to another.

An Auburn product, Jones was on the list of rookie free agents the Patriots signed in May 2016. From there, he graduated to the list of rookie free agents who have made the team during the Bill Belichick era.

Jones’ 2017 season with the Patriots ended with his placement on the injured reserve list. The 2018 season began with his placement on the physically unable to perform list.

Now active, the 5-foot-10, 190-pounder finds himself on a rather crowded list of cornerbacks (11) vying for a spot on the Patriots’ 53-man roster this summer, his value heightened by his play on special teams.

“These guys have been working hard,” Jones said following a recent practice. “They’ve been putting in the fundamentals, technique, they’ve been working day in and day out. So (you) just try to catch up and get to where they are.”

Coming off the ankle injury that led to his placement on the IR list on Jan. 17, Jones opened training camp on the PUP list, emerging from the lower (rehab) fields to the main practice fields on the grounds of Gillette Stadium on Aug. 7, but he did not appear in the Patriots’ 26-17 preseason-opening win over the Redskins in Foxboro two nights later. His status for tonight’s game with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in Foxboro is unknown.

“Just continue to try to build, (I’m) trying to catch up to where those guys that have been making plays, been out here day in and day out,” said Jones. “I’m just trying to continue and show up.”

Impressing with his play on special teams, Jones beat the odds in making the Patriots’ 53-man roster as a rookie free agent and went on to appear in all 19 of their games (16 regular season, three postseason) in 2016. Credited with six tackles and one pass defensed in the secondary, Jones’ major contributions in his initial regular season came on special teams where he made eight tackles, recovered one fumble and forced another. He registered four more tackles on special teams during the Patriots’ postseason run to a Super Bowl LI championship, three of them coming in their 36-17 AFC Championship Game victory over Pittsburgh at Gillette.

Jones’ role, and his production, increased dramatically during the regular season last year as he was credited with 36 tackles, eight passes defensed and made the first interception of his career on a Philip Rivers pass into the end zone as time expired to secure a 21-13 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Foxboro on Oct. 29. He also made eight tackles and recovered a fumble on special teams. Jones registered one tackle each on defense and on special teams before going down with his ankle injury in the Pats’ 35-14 divisional playoff win over Tennessee at Gillette on Jan. 13.

“That’s part of the game. Injuries are part of the game,” said Jones. “I think for this year (the idea is) just to build on it and come out and try to contribute more and more to the team.”

A night when Mallett shined: The Patriots and Eagles will be meeting for the 23rd time in the preseason but for the first time since Aug. 15, 2014, when New England won, 42-35, in Foxboro.

How long ago was that?

Ryan Mallett entered the game at quarterback in the second half and directed the Patriots to scores on three straight drives, scoring a touchdown (on a 6-yard run) on one of them and throwing a 17-yard TD pass to wide receiver Brian Tyms for another.

The Patriots lead the all-time preseason series, 12-10, the Eagles hold the edge in the regular season, 7-5, and the teams have split two Super Bowl games.