CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 21: Daquan Jones #92 of the Buffalo Bills catches an interception in the third quarter of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 21, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) Getty
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 28: Cole Bishop #24 and Shaq Thompson #45 of the Buffalo Bills celebrate after a tackle in the third quarter of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Highmark Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) Getty
The New England Patriots may not be finished shopping for veteran defensive help after landing DaQuan Jones.
ESPN's Mike Reiss raised Shaq Thompson as a player to watch Sunday, two days after New England agreed to bring Jones aboard.
The connection is more than speculative name-dropping, but both Thompson and Jones visited the Patriots together on Aug. 18, according to Reiss, before both veterans left Foxborough without contracts.
Jones circled back after Week 1. Reiss pointed to the NFL's vested-veteran salary rules as a likely factor, noting that base salaries for qualifying veterans who sign after the opening week are no longer guaranteed for the season.
With Jones now in New England, Reiss questioned whether the Patriots could follow the same blueprint with Shaq Thompson.
"Now we'll see if they do the same with the 32-year-old Thompson," Reiss wrote.
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 21: Daquan Jones #92 of the Buffalo Bills catches an interception in the third quarter of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 21, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Thompson's possibility of making his way to Foxboro is worth monitoring.
New England officially announced Jones' signing Saturday while moving A.J. Brown to injured reserve. The Patriots said Jones, 34, has appeared in 167 regular-season games with 161 starts across stops with the Tennessee Titans , Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills .
Jones also has familiarity with Vrabel from their time together in Tennessee. Thompson would arrive through a different connection, but he and Jones have crossed paths twice. They were teammates with Carolina in 2021 and again in Buffalo last season before becoming free agents this offseason.
Then came their joint visit to New England on Aug. 18.
Thompson subsequently returned to Buffalo, signing with the Bills' practice squad on Aug. 31. The Bills described the 32-year-old as a familiar leader who still had "gas left in the tank" after his 2025 campaign.
If the Patriots want him now, the opportunity remains. Thompson is on Buffalo's practice squad rather than its 53-man roster, while New England has already shown a willingness to revisit veterans it evaluated during the summer.
The Jones signing gives that earlier visit a little more influence.
GettyORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 28: Cole Bishop #24 and Shaq Thompson #45 of the Buffalo Bills celebrate after a tackle in the third quarter of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Highmark Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Thompson's NFL existence is stronger than that of a typical September depth addition.
The Carolina Panthers selected Thompson 25th overall in the 2015 NFL draft after a versatile college career at Washington. He earned first-team All-America honors in 2014 and was used at linebacker, safety and even running back, finishing his final season with 81 tackles and six touchdowns.
That athletic background translated into a decade-long run in Carolina.
Via NFL.com , Shaq Thompson has totaled 807 tackles, 13 sacks, three interceptions and five forced fumbles over 135 regular-season games. He started 118 of those contests.
His 2025 season with the Bills also offered evidence that he can still contribute. Thompson recorded 56 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble during the regular season. Buffalo noted that he elevated his play in the postseason, intercepting a pass in the wild-card round and leading the team with eight tackles in that game.
New England already has Robert Spillane anchoring the linebacker group, along with younger options throughout the depth chart. Thompson would give Vrabel another experienced defender capable of stepping into a rotation without requiring the team to project what he can handle at the NFL level.
There is no report yet that a deal is imminent. Reiss' note is better read as a player to keep on the radar after the Patriots completed half of the veteran pairing they hosted in August.
Jones was the first one through the door. Thompson may be the next name en route to Gillette Stadium.
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