FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots traded safety Tebucky Jones to the New Orleans Saints for three draft choices, including two in this year's draft. The Saints yielded a third-round pick and a seventh-round pick in the 2003 draft, as well as a fourth-round pick in the 2004 draft. The Patriots now have 13 picks in this year's draft. It equals the highest number of draft picks the Patriots have possessed since the NFL switched to a seven-round draft in 1994 (13 in 1996). The Patriots are also tied with the Houston Texans for the most choices in the 2003 draft (13).
Jones, 28, totaled 195 defensive tackles (149 solos), as well as 65 special teams tackles while starting 36 of the 72 games he played in during his five-year career with the Patriots. The 6-foot-2-inch, 218-pounder also intercepted four passes, recorded two-and-a-half sacks, forced six fumbles and recovered three. He established a career high with 57 tackles during the 2001 season. Jones was originally a first-round draft pick (22nd overall) of the Patriots in 1998.
