Patriots release Jones, sign two

The first free agent receiver signed by the New England Patriots this spring has become the first casualty from the pass catching corps.

WR Donald Jones was released by the Patriots on Friday.

On the day that the Patriots announced that they are retaining the services of troubled young corner Alfonzo Dennard, the team has informed free agent acquisition wide receiver Donald Jones that he will be released.  The Patriots countered the move by signing two undrafted rookie free agents, Perez Ashford out of Northern Illinois and Quentin Sims from Tennessee-Martin.

Both signees are wide receivers.

Jones was considered a long shot to make the roster after a pedestrian series of OTAs in which he saw fellow free agent pick up Mike Jenkins seem to gain quarterback Tom Brady's trust and, subsequently, most of the 1st team reps.  Jones also has been battling a troublesome kidney ailment that caused him to miss the end of last season, when he played for the Buffalo Bills.

No reason was given for the release, but chances are it was combination of the poor showing in OTAs along with the upside of other young receivers on the roster and perhaps the IgA nephropathy, which will eventually result in chronic renal failure.

All of this added up with the reporting and roster bonuses he was due at the start of training camp sealed his fate.

The Ashford signing is curious and appears to be nothing more than a move to bring in a camp body, but bringing in Sims strikes a chord.  While Ashford is small and not incredibly fast nor all that productive with the Huskies last season, Sims is a large productive target with decent speed, mad hops and a nose for the end zone.



At 6' 3" and 210 pounds, Sims fits the profile of wide receivers that the Patriots are stock-piling, and has many of the physical attributes that recent acquisitions Aaron Dobson, Mark Harrison and Michael Jenkins possess...

...most notably does excellent work outside the numbers and up the seam, setting an Ohio Valley Conference record for touchdown catches in a season in 2012 with 16 for the Skyhawks, and showed versatility by lining up at free safety on occasion.

Jones will most likely not be on the market for long, and the Patriots releasing him now will allow him to catch on with another team and get in a full training camp, which speak of the respect that Belichick and Patriots have for the four-year veteran.