“I don’t hate the value they got out of the trade as much as I just hate giving up on a guy like Chandler Jones,” Monson said. “Obviously it’s more of an off-the-field concern than it is on the field. I think on the field, though, he’s just been such a good player for the Patriots. It’s a shame that they’ve decided they need to move on and get what isn’t a bad return but isn’t a great return in the trade in the other direction.”
Jones had one of several major contracts that were due to expire after this season, along with players like Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower and Malcom Butler. It was generally accepted that the Patriots could not afford to re-sign all four of them. There also was Jones’ incident at a Foxboro police station this past season. Monson said had that incident not occurred, this deal might not have been made.
“I don’t think so,” Monson said. “Like I said, purely on the field I think Jones is a very good player. Maybe not a truly elite guy, but definitely a solid player, and a Patriots kind of player — versatile, consistently strong, does the little things well, maybe won’t take over games but will always give you a pretty good result. I think if that [incident] doesn’t happen, the Patriots are going to extend him.”
