FOXBOROUGH — When last we saw Cyrus Jones in a Patriots uniform, the rookie cornerback was ejected for fighting in a blowout victory over the Browns in Week 5.

Officials deemed Jones threw a punch at Andrew Hawkins after the Cleveland receiver appeared to go for Jones’s knees on a block. No punch was ever found on tape, however, and Jones wasn’t fined by the NFL.

The ejection came a week after Jones had a couple of kickoff return hiccups in New England’s 16-0 loss to the Bills. On the opening kick, Jones almost took a knee at the 1-yard line. On his next attempt, he fielded a kick 4 yards deep and was dropped at the 14-yard line.

It was a tough two-game stretch for the former Alabama star.

Since then, New England’s top draft pick had been a healthy scratch four straight weeks, but returned to the lineup for Sunday night’s matchup against the Seahawks.

Jones fielded the opening kickoff but took a knee. The Patriots then embarked on a nine-play, 75-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead.

The Patriots have been working through a rotation of Logan Ryan, Eric Rowe, and Justin Coleman as they try to settle their depth chart behind No. 1 corner Malcolm Butler.

To his credit, Jones, who had never been a healthy scratch in Tuscaloosa, hasn’t pouted and has faced the music when asked about his recent struggles.

“What I can do is keep showing up and working hard,’’ said Jones, who has been sporting a black jersey the last two weeks after being named a practice player of the week. “I try not to worry about things I can’t control. I just go out there and do my job.’’

Jones acknowledged this week “it’s been frustrating’’ not to be on their field on game days but insisted he’ll be ready when his number gets called again.

“I still know what I can do,’’ said Jones, who said he’s received lots of support from his teammates and coaches over the last month. “I’m still very confident in myself.’’

Jones showed good burst but it’s an adventure on every return. He fumbled a 45-yard kick return but was bailed out by a rugby-style recovery from Nate Ebner.

“Our ball security is not what it needs to be,’’ said coach Bill Belichick.

Lewis inactive

Despite being added to the 53-man roster on Saturday, running back Dion Lewis was one of seven inactives.

Lewis has been a regular at practices since coming off the physically unable to perform list Oct. 26.

His addition to the roster indicates the decision to hold him out is not based on a physical setback, but rather just the team being cautious.

“Yeah, he’s working hard,’’ Belichick said Friday when asked about Lewis’s status. “I think this is what he needs — to be around football. He’s gotten a lot of good football snaps over the last however many days it’s been.’’

Belichick added on his pregame radio appearance that Lewis’s “health is good.’’

The other Patriots inactives Sunday night were: Rowe, running back D.J. Foster, linebacker Kyle Van Noy, tight end Matt Lengel, and offensive tackle LaAdrian Waddle.

The Seahawks inactives included defensive end Michael Bennett, offensive tackle Bradley Sowell, guard Rees Odhiambo, safety Tyvis Powell, tight end Luke Willson, running back Thomas Rawls, and receiver Tanner McEvoy.

Neutral zone

After his coach and quarterback got embroiled in presidential politics, Patriots team president Jonathan Kraft stayed neutral in a pregame interview Sunday.

“The brand and the business of the New England Patriots didn’t endorse anybody or anything,’’ Kraft said during a radio appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

Kraft, asked if the Patriots had any policy that would discourage employees from publicly endorsing candidates, said they did not. Coach Bill Belichick wrote a supportive letter to President-elect Donald Trump, which Trump read at a New Hampshire rally the day before the election.

Tom Brady also has said that Trump is a friend, though he would not say if he gave Trump permission to publicly count him as a political supporter, which Trump did.

Kraft was far chattier about his own organization’s leadership. He said he roots for Pete Carroll, now the coach of the Seahawks, whom the Kraft family hired to replace Bill Parcells as the Patriots coach in 1997.

“Growing up I hated USC and when Pete got there I became a USC fan. Pete’s, aside from being an exceptional football coach, a great guy,’’ Kraft said.

The Kraft family assumed ownership of the Patriots in 1994, the first year of the salary cap, and clashed with Parcells over how to manage it. When Parcells left, cap management was one of the main reasons the Krafts turned to Carroll.

“He understood that the cap was critical and understood that there needed to be strategic things done with that aside from being a great X’s and O’s coach,’’ Kraft said.

Kraft said that Carroll’s tenure, which lasted until 1999, helped his family learn the value of having a coach who is trusted to handle personnel.

“Pete showed that divided football operations, meaning at least for us, GM, head coach, it wasn’t working for us,’’ Kraft said.

Asked about the trade of Jamie Collins, Kraft stayed true to his world and deflected to Belichick.

“I think Bill’s gotta talk about that stuff,’’ Kraft said. “I will say, Jamie as a human being, really great guy.’’

Gronk hit hard

Martellus Bennett recorded the fifth 100-yard receiving game of his career, his third this season. He and Gronkowski matched up well with Seattle’s terrific safety tandem of Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, the latter of whom hit Gronkowski with what Gronkowski said was “one of the hardest times I got hit in my career. A good, clean hit. He just knocked the wind out of me for a minute or two. Once you come back, you’re good. You are going to get laid out eventually.’’ He missed five plays . . . Tough night for Justin Coleman; he was burned by Tyler Lockett for a 36-yard catch, picked up a 20-yard pass interference call, and received a personal foul for clipping . . . The Patriots suffered a rare loss in the turnover battle (Brady pick, Julian Edelman fumble). “We were minus-2 tonight,’’ said Belichick. “That’s not really a good formula.’’ . . . Trey Flowers had two sacks to give him four in the last two games. He eclipsed Jabaal Sheard (3½) for the team lead. Sheard didn’t play in the first two series and was a non-factor in a rotational role . . . Chris Hogan (three targets) was held catchless. Danny Amendola had one catch for 14 yards . . . Brady, Jacoby Brissett, and Jimmy Garoppolo set an NFL record to start a season when they completed their 252nd pass without throwing an interception on Brady’s 22-yard completion to Rob Gronkowski on the fourth play of the game. The streak was snapped at 258 when Brady attempted an ill-advised pass down the left sideline for Malcolm Mitchell that was underthrown and picked off by DeShawn Shead . . . The Patriots celebrated their “Salute to Service’’ game Sunday night. The national anthem was performed by the United States Coast Guard Brass and the colors were presented by the Unites States Marine Corps Honor Guard from Fort Devens.

Scott Thurston of the Globe staff and Globe correspondent Nora Princiotti contributed. Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globejimmcbride.