Eagles newcomers ‘26: Jonathan Jones brings another veteran body, Super Bowl experience to cornerback group

With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28.

Player: Jonathan Jones

Position: Cornerback

Age: 32

Previous experience: Jones is the most veteran player in the cornerbacks room, bringing 10 years of NFL experience to the Eagles. He spent nine seasons and earned two Super Bowl rings (2016, 2018) with the New England Patriots, the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn in 2016.

He spent most of his early Patriots career as a backup defensive back (primarily at nickel) and a special teams contributor until 2022, when he earned the starting outside cornerback job out of training camp. That year, he started 16 games, registering a career-high four interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), three forced fumbles, and 11 pass breakups.

Eagles' newcomers '26

Whether a 2026 draft choice, a veteran addition, or a rookie free-agent hopeful, we’re telling you more about each player’s potential role this season. We’re rolling out two players per day in a mostly unscientific order that balances offense and defense, bigger names with mysteries, and locks with longer shots to be chosen for the 53-man roster.

• QB Andy Dalton, DB Kapena Gushiken
• LB Arnold Ekibetie, OL Jaedan Roberts
• WR Elijah Moore, RB Dameon Pierce
• T Markel Bell, EDGE Joshua Weru
• G Michael Jordan, LS Rocco Underwood
• TE Eli Stowers, S Maximus Pulley
• LB Jonathan Greenard, T John Ojukwu
• TE Stone Smartt, LB Deontae Lawson
• TE Johnny Mundt, DE Ta'Quon Graham
• S Cole Wisniewski, RB Elijah Mitchell
• WR Makai Lemon, CB Shaun Wade

Jones remained the starter in New England in 2023 and 2024, then signed with the Washington Commanders as a free agent in 2025. As a backup last season, he started seven games, making five pass breakups and notching one sack. He took the bulk of his snaps on the outside.

Path to a roster spot: Cornerback depth — at either spot, but most likely on the outside. The Eagles are set among their starting trio of Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen on the outside and Cooper DeJean in the slot. Michael Carter II could be the primary backup in the slot if he doesn’t win the starting safety job, but Jones could earn the top backup role on the outside if he fares well in training camp against other contenders including Kelee Ringo and Mac McWilliams.

Fun fact: For his introductory news conference in March, Jones took a private plane from Charlotte to Philadelphia – that he piloted himself. Jones earned his pilot’s license in April 2023 while he was a member of the Patriots. He documented his flight to Eagles mandatory minicamp in a video shared to his Instagram page.

Quotable: “I can remember being the younger guy in the room, full of veterans, Devin McCourty and those guys, and just trying to compete with them. And so now being the older guy in the room, just still having that joy of the game, coming out, competing in practice and games, and just still having that childhood joy of playing football is definitely what keeps you going.” — Jones in March on his rare longevity as an undrafted player

Player: Samori Touré

Position: Wide receiver

Age: 28

Previous experience: Touré, who is 6-foot-1, 196 pounds, has four years of NFL experience, spending the latter half primarily on practice squads.

He began his career with the Green Bay Packers, the team that drafted him in the seventh round out of Nebraska in 2022. Touré saw limited action in Green Bay, combining for 13 receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown in 22 games (two starts) in two seasons on the active roster. He was released in August 2024 after ending the previous season on injured reserve.

Since his release from the Packers, he has been a member of three different practice squads — the Chicago Bears (2024), the Denver Broncos (2025), and the New Orleans Saints (2025). He was only active on game day with the Saints, the team that picked him up in late November last season after the Broncos released him in late October. Touré had one reception for three yards in one game with the Saints.

Path to a roster spot: Receiving depth, both on the outside and in the slot, most likely as a member of the practice squad. The active roster seems like a stretch, given that Touré will be competing with Darius Cooper, Johnny Wilson, Elijah Moore, and Britain Covey for one of those last couple spots in training camp.

Even the practice squad will be a challenge for Touré to make, seeing as he does not have special teams experience. In addition to the aforementioned active roster contenders, Touré will have to beat out practice squad incumbents Danny Gray and Quez Watkins for a spot on that unit.

However, while Touré did not overlap with Sean Mannion in Green Bay, they are both products of Matt LaFleur’s offense to an extent. That experience could give Touré a boost while competing for a role in the revamped Eagles offense, which will likely feature similarities to the Packers’ scheme.

Fun fact: Touré is named after his great-great grandfather, Samori, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He was the founder of the Wassoulou Empire in West Africa, which spanned modern-day Guinea, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, and Sierra Leone from 1878-1898.

Quotable: “Samori has had his moments and we gotta continue to build upon those and become more and more consistent along the way. But he’s a guy that we definitely have high hopes for. He has the tools necessary that you look for in terms of being able to separate. He has them in his body. He possesses those. It’s just continuing to get more and more reps.” — LaFleur on Touré in July 2023, via Packers.com