The NFL’s new league year is set to start on March 11, and at that point, the Miami Dolphins will have just under 40 players hitting free agency, some of whom could sign with another team right then and there.
Among those players is cornerback Jack Jones, and the new decision-making duo of Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley will have to evaluate Jones’ performance from last year and conclude if that’s enough to warrant bringing him back.
Before we get to that point, let’s analyze the decision that they’ll have to make.
Jack Jones 2025 season recap
Jones joined the Dolphins on a one-year deal after spending his first three seasons in the NFL split between the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders. With Miami, he started all 17 games, leading the cornerback room in snaps and recording 77 tackles, six passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one interception.
However, the 28-year-old allowed a career-high 119.3 passer rating and a 68.3% completion percentage when targeted.
Potential replacements for Jack Jones
The Dolphins also have Rasul Douglas, Kader Kohou, A.J. Green III, Ethan Bonner and Artie Burns hitting some form of free agency this offseason, so their internal options are scarce to replace Jones.
Miami could target the position in the draft or free agency, and if they go with the latter, some of the top cornerbacks on the market are Nahshon Wright, Alontae Taylor, Jaylen Watson, Eric Stokes, Cobie Durant, Josh Jobe and Tariq Woolen.
What contract could Jack Jones receive in free agency?
Jones played the 2025 season on a one-year, $1.1 million deal. After playing 93% of his team’s defensive snaps the last two seasons with the Dolphins and Raiders, he’ll probably earn more this year. Spotrac projects that he’ll receive a one-year, $5.08 million contract in 2026.
Should the Dolphins re-sign Jack Jones?
Miami absolutely needs to upgrade their cornerback room this offseason, but Jones could be an interesting player to bring back to compete for a spot in training camp. If the Dolphins can make the money work, they should at least consider it.
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This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: NFL free agency: Should Dolphins re-sign Jack Jones in 2026?
