The Las Vegas Raiders re-tooled their cornerback room this offseason in the image of new head coach Pete Carroll. Unfortunately, Jack Jones was a casualty of this change, as he was released just weeks before the 2025 NFL Draft.
As fans remember, Jones was originally claimed on waivers partway through the 2023 season by interim general manager Champ Kelly and head coach Antonio Pierce, the latter of whom was his high school head football coach.
Jones became an instant superstar for the Raiders' defense. In a Thursday Night Football game, he had arguably the most impressive pick-six in NFL history, and Jones also had an iconic interception of Patrick Mahomes on Christmas Day that he returned for a score.
Jack Jones takes shot at Raiders after big play in Dolphins win
But things fell apart a bit in his first full year in Las Vegas. Yes, Jones had three interceptions and 16 passes defended, but he also gave up 679 yards and 10 touchdowns through the air when targeted. It was always a bit of give and take with Jones, and the new regime wanted someone more solid.
Late in the offseason, Jones found a home with the Miami Dolphins, and he's had a bit of a quiet, albeit improved, campaign. On Sunday, he had his best moment of the season, as he picked off an errant Marcus Mariota pass in overtime to help the Dolphins earn the win.
After the big play in the triumphant victory, Miami's third-straight win, Jones took to social media and made a surprisingly, and needless, dig at the Raiders. It didn't land quite how Jones anticipated it would, as it just reaffirmed what fans already knew: they made the right choice waiving him.
The raiders should’ve kept me.. #GoPhins
— Jack Jack🏄🏽♂️ (@presidentjacc) November 16, 2025
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At his best, Jones was a big play-maker on the ball when targeted. At his worst, Jones gave up far too much in coverage, and was at the center of speculation about Pierce's "business decisions" comments, as he was benched in the first quarter of the following game.
Las Vegas' cornerback room has been fine this season, as Eric Stokes has been a pleasant surprise, and both Darien Porter and Kyu Blu Kelly have shown promise. Moving on from him was, ultimately, mutually beneficial, as Jones had no future with the Raiders without Pierce.
If there was ever a perfect embodiment of Sin City, it was the way that Jones played cornerback for the Silver and Black. He was a known gambler, which got him in trouble far more often than it benefitted him.
He fit right into the glitz and glamor of the entertainment capital of the world, as Jones liked to put on a show. But at the end of the day, though Jones made some incredible, jaw-dropping plays, he and the team ended up with more losses than wins when he lined up out wide.
Both the franchise and Raider Nation eventually got sick of the flashing lights and endless risk-taking from Jones, as they craved a bit more consistency. One big play and win for him on Sunday does not change the fact that folding on the Jones experiment was the right call.