Former Alabama DB Cyrus Jones wants to put fumble problems behind him

New England Patriots rookie DB Cyrus Jones was an electric punt returner in college with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

However, the 2016 second-round pick nearly fumbled away two punts in a win over the Houston Texans last week.

Jones told the Boston Herald he needs to be more secure with the football moving forward:

“Of course (the coaches) are going to mention it, but I’m harder on myself than anybody,” Jones said. “I know it’s something I’ve got to be consistent at, and I can’t have things like that happen. It could end up costing us if I turn the ball over. It’s something I’m focusing on, just to prevent anything like that from happening where I put the team in a bad spot.”

Jones said he knows his role as a rookie is to keep the ball safe and take pressure off of WRs Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola. If those two don’t have to return punts, they’ll be healthier for their roles on offense:

“The returns are going to come,” Jones said. “I’m just focusing on fielding the ball first. I know what I can do once I get the ball in my hands, so I’m relying on those guys to do their job up front and they’re relying on me to first secure the catch and then make plays and have good ball security. Last week is gone, and I’m looking forward to (today).”

New England hosts the Buffalo Bills at 1 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday. The game can be seen on CBS.

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.