Most fans think a player must be healthy to be great. Dre’Mont Jones proves that idea wrong. The Patriots outside linebacker believes he is the most underrated player in the entire NFL while playing through obvious pain on the field.
His position coach, Mike Smith, put it best. “He is a war daddy, man,” Smith said, according to the Boston Herald. This offseason during free agency, Jones agreed to a three-year deal worth $39 million. He is in his eighth NFL season, the veteran of the group. Yet he refuses to tell anyone how bad he hurts.
The Trade Rumor That Misses the Point
While Jones fights through injury, other veterans face different risks. In a Friday trade-deadline column for Sports Illustrated, NFL insider Albert Breer reported that the Patriots might trade defensive tackle Christian Barmore. Breer noted that “Lots of teams… are looking for defensive line help.”
This season, Barmore has played on 41.9% of the team’s defensive snaps. Within the rotation, he trails behind Milton Williams and Cory Durden. Despite this, he has three sacks and six quarterback hits. Breer wrote that the Giants and Jaguars are showing interest in defensive tackles, with Jacksonville specifically seeking pieces for its defensive front in general.
But Jones is not for sale. “You can’t have a better leader in a room than Dre’Mont Jones,” Smith said. At present, the Patriots roster includes just three outside linebackers. They need the best of them every week.
Leading From the Back
Smith admits he almost gets a little emotional about Dre’Mont. Jones pushes through a lot of physical pain. He won’t tell you how bad he hurts or what’s going on inside his body. He just does his job and makes sure everybody else does their job.
The Patriots lost to the Chicago Bears 30-24 on Thursday, Oct. 22 at Soldier Field. The team sits at 4-3 and is second in the AFC East.
Smith says the team is discussing creating a room where no external observer knows the leader because everyone plays hard. But Dre is that guy. He is a violent human being who fits well in the room. Jones is tough.
The next test comes Sunday, Nov. 1, at 4:25 p.m. ET against the Miami Dolphins. The team will need every bit of Jones’ leadership to win. Fans should watch how he moves on the field.
