There was no question that changes needed to be made for the Miami Dolphins this offseason, with management and the coaching staff pointing to a necessary culture change within the locker room. At the head of that necessary change was cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who asked for and eventually received a trade, going to the Pittsburgh Steelers along with tight end Jonnu Smith and netting safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in return to Miami.
The Dolphins desperately needed to add to their CB room this offseason knowing that Ramsey would be gone and not addressing the position until Round 5 of the 2025 NFL Draft with the selection of Jason Marshall Jr.
So when Miami signed Jack Jones this past Friday, it wasn't a complete shock to the fan base. But does Jones align with the culture change that head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier are looking to install?
Jack Jones brings experience but is a risky signing to fix the Dolphins' culture
Sure, Jones could be what the Dolphins need to fix their cornerback depth. After all, it took just one play in training camp for the fans to take notice, mere hours after his signing. More importantly, he brings something that he and recently signed Mike Hilton bring that most of Miami's CB room lacks: experience.
But Jones doesn't come with the best off-the-field rap sheet. He's had his issues dating back to college, having been dismissed from USC's program and an arrest in 2018 for breaking into a Panda Express. Concerns surrounding Jones ultimately led to his slight fall in the 2022 NFL Draft, going to then-head coach Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots in the fourth round.
Unfortunately, the issues didn't stop there. Jones received a team suspension for being late to a rehab session while on injured reserve. He also received first-quarter benchings for missing curfew. Most egregiously, though, Jones was again arrested in 2023 for bringing two loaded pistols into a carry-on bag at Logan Airport in Boston. Eventually, Belichick had had enough, and Jones was released from the team that November.
Jones was quickly picked up by the Las Vegas Raiders, but inconsistent play and a regime change following this past season led to his release.
Jack Jones is the type of low-risk, high-reward signing Chris Grier likes
There's no question that Jones' play was subpar this past season compared to his time in New England (graded 166th of 222 cornerbacks, according to PFF), but it's important to note that he had no real off-the-field moments in his time with Las Vegas. That's something that he expects to continue in Miami.
An introspective Jack Jones says he has become a calmer person and less emotional. Realized he had to change; Ryan Clark among those he says gave him guidance... Mike hilton said he suspected he would end up with fins
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) July 28, 2025
With the Dolphins, Jones should be viewed as a starter, given their depth at the position. While he was inconsistent with the Raiders, he totaled five interceptions with them in 2023 and 2024 (returning three of them for touchdowns). That type of ball-hawk awareness is exactly what this Miami team needs right now, after struggling last season in creating turnovers.
Grier loves to hand out short-term, "prove it" deals, so coming to terms on a one-year contract with Jones shouldn't have come as a surprise. However, the Dolphins have been known to allow players' tardiness and to let other infractions go over the past few years -- with Ramsey in front of all it.
This offseason has included McDaniel giving an outburst on how things need to change, and pass rusher Bradley Chubb admitting that the players hadn't been serious enough about it in the past.
Therefore, it's no surprise then that most of the Dolphins' fan base didn't have Jones on their radar. You showed the door to one player known to be late and cause distractions only to open it to another with a similar history. Jones has certainly played it cool the past year and a half, but he is another risky signing by Grier that can ill afford to blow up at Miami's most desperate position.