On paper, cornerback was supposed to be a strength for the Jacksonville Jaguars, with Travis Hunter moving to defense full-time and Montaric Brown signing a three-year, $31.8 million deal to return to Duval. In practice, though, the Jags are having issues at the position.
Injuries have most definitely played a role, as Brown has missed time with a hamstring injury. Similarly, a similar injury has also prevented Jaylon Jones, who was signed to the 53-man roster in early October, from making his debut for Jacksonville.
On the other hand, Jarrian Jones got off to a strong start to the season but has been underwhelming in recent weeks. In fact, you could make the case that he's the biggest reason the Jaguars are among the worst teams in the NFL when it comes to defending the pass.
Jarrian Jones has been a liability for the Jaguars the past few games
Jarrian Jones had a strong outing against the New England Patriots in Week 3, registering his first interception of the season. However, he also gave up five receptions for 77 yards on six targets. Things would only get worse from there. The past three games, the former Florida State Seminole has surrendered 22 receptions for 287 yards the last three games.
If that wasn't enough, Jones has been targeted a league-high 52 times. Granted, he doesn't allow a reception on every target, but the teams aren't afraid to throw the ball his way.
In his defense, Jones has popped up on the injury report with a hamstring injury, so there's a chance he's not 100 percent healthy. Moreover, the Jaguars may not be thrilled about their other options at corner, whether it's Alijah Huzzie or sophomore Jabbar Muhammad, who's on the practice squad but has been elevated to the active roster a few times.
Compounding the issue is that Brown is dealing with the hamstring injury, but he wasn't particularly great before he got hurt.
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The Jaguars may have no choice but keep trusting Jarrian Jones
Perhaps the Jaguars could trade for cornerback help at the deadline. Riq Woolen would make sense if the Philadelphia Eagles hold a fire sale. However, there's a chance they'll also stay put, and if that's the case, Jarrian Jones will most likely continue to have a featured role. The reason is simple: This isn't the first time he's struggled.
Jones managed to overcome a sluggish start to 2025 to finish the season strong. Maybe he can do it again. On the other hand, the Mississippi, Magee native could also move to the slot once Montaric Brown is healthy.
Either way, Jarrian Jones is in the midst of a rough stretch. The Jaguars could most definitely show patience in hopes that he can turn things around. But if he doesn't, benching him shouldn't be off the table.
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