FOXBORO — Two months after being arrested on gun charges at Logan Airport, Patriots cornerback Jack Jones is trying to compartmentalize and separate football from life off the practice field.
Based on his play on the field this summer, he’s doing a pretty good job. The second-year pro has been the Patriots’ most consistent healthy cornerback in training camp, and that’s even with the bizarre still-unexplained situation earlier this month when he walked off the practice field just to come back later in the session.
“At times it can be difficult but I try not to let the outside affect what’s going on on the field,” Jones said Wednesday after practice. “I try to come out here and just focus all on football and let the outside be the outside and worry about that outside.”
Jones originally had a hearing scheduled last Friday in municipal court, one day before the Patriots took on the Packers in Week 2 of the preseason. It was rescheduled for Sept. 15.
Jones was asked if he hoped that would allow him to play this season.
“I’m just letting my lawyer handle all of that,” Jones said. “Going with whatever.”
Jones did say he hopes he’ll be available in Week 1 and that the NFL has not reached out about any potential punishment for the five charges and 10 counts he faces for allegedly carrying two pistols and ammunition in a bag at Logan Airport.
The 2022 fourth-round pick has been happy with his play in training camp. He also ranks fourth in defensive preseason snaps on the team through two games and has been on the field far more than other potential Week 1 starters.
“I’d say definitely better than the first,” Jones said of training camp. “Last year I was coming in as a rookie. It was kind of tough just getting used to the transition, I would say. But now I came out here second year, I feel a lot better. I’m not where I want to be, but I’m definitely going in that direction.”
Rookie Christian Gonzalez, who suffered an injury in camp Wednesday, appears to be a Week 1 starter if healthy. Jonathan Jones will be among the Patriots’ starting defenders when he returns from his own injury. Jack Jones and Marcus Jones are the top candidates to start alongside Gonzalez and Jonathan Jones. Jack Jones has had a stronger summer through four weeks.