Bailey, who struggled mightily through nine weeks before getting injured, returned to practice on Dec. 21, giving the Patriots 21 days to activate him to the 53-man roster. While speaking with reporters Friday, New England head coach Bill Belichick said Bailey’s IR clock had run out — a clear misdirection.
Bailey signed a lucrative contract extension during the summer. His suspension could impact the deal in multiple ways, according to Patriots salary cap guru Miguel Benzan.
As for Jones, his suspension marks a disappointing end to what was a promising rookie campaign.
The fourth-round pick faced character concerns while coming out of college, issues that no doubt will be brought up following the suspension. Additionally, the entire situation surrounding Jones’ knee ailment is a mysterious one.
After suffering the injury, which he described as a bone bruise, on Dec. 13, Jones told NESN.com he “should be good” and that he only would need a “couple of days” to get back on the field. The rookie returned to practice the following Friday but his attendance was inconsistent from that point forward. Jones didn’t practice at all the last couple of weeks and was spotted cleaning out his locker days before New England’s Week 17 home win over the Miami Dolphins.
Nevertheless, Jones at one point this season was playing like one of the best cornerbacks in football, so he and the Patriots must hope this is just a minor setback.
New England will wrap up its regular season Sunday afternoon with a pivotal road matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots can clinch a playoff spot with a victory.
