Marcus Jones has excelled as the New England Patriots punt returner and slot cornerback. On Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would be smart to use him on offense as well, giving the defense an alternative look, similar to how the Jacksonville Jaguars sparingly use Travis Hunter.
Jones is no stranger to playing offense, as he famously took his first catch as a Patriot for a 48-yard touchdown reception against the Buffalo Bills in 2022. On the play, Jones was aligned in motion/screen action and outran the entire Bills secondary.
This season marks McDaniels and Jones’ second season together in New England, and if there’s an offensive play-caller that knows how to best utilize Jones’ dual-threat ability, it’s McDaniels.
New England’s Offensive Struggles
New England’s offense has struggled to generate X plays going down the field, especially for touchdowns. The unit is short on weapons that can turn a short 5-yard completion into a 40-yard house call. While the unit has had opportunities, they have failed to capitalize, except for TreVeyon Henderson‘s 39-yard touchdown run against Pittsburgh in Week 2.
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The explosive and versatile Marcus Jones would fit right in, even alongside Henderson, to give New England a different and more explosive look with two dynamic playmakers.
These offensive looks would give Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard something else to think about and prepare for. As an added benefit, if Leonhard chose to stack the box to protect against Jones’ breakaway speed, it would open up more man-to-man looks for the offense, where Drake Maye has excelled.
McDaniels has seen Jones’ career growth from his rookie year in 2022 into becoming an All-Pro and an integral part of the New England Patriots on the defensive and special teams units. This week against the Bills is the perfect opportunity to use Jones in the offensive game plan as well.
