Insider expands on 'toxic' Mac Jones, Patriots relationship

It appears New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones may not have quite the "clean slate" with newly hired head coach Jerod Mayo as thought back in January. 

In his latest mailbag, Patriots and NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated detailed why he's convinced Jones' cause "in New England is lost" even with Mayo serving as the replacement for Bill Belichick. 

"He was good as a rookie, and regressed badly since," Breer said about Jones. "He was well-liked early on, but, over time, lost support in the building. And the quarterback room he was in the last two years got toxic, to the point where Bailey Zappe, as a rookie, sometimes watched tape in the receiver room." 

It was rumored throughout last spring that some New England players wanted Zappe to receive at least a realistic chance to win the starting job over Jones during the summer after Zappe went 2-0 as a rookie. 

No legitimate quarterback competition occurred, but Belichick later pulled Jones from games on four occasions this past fall before Zappe started the final six contests for what became a 4-13 team. 

Jones' teammates seem in no rush to campaign for the 2021 first-round draft pick to remain with the club through this offseason, and it's believed he lost supporters inside the locker room during what could be his final campaign with the organization. 

Mayo insisted last month that "there’s enough blame to go around" to explain why Jones regressed so badly after he earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie, but Breer suggested that "wounds, some self-inflicted, some not," associated with the Jones-Patriots relationship won't heal anytime soon. 

"You can’t snap your fingers and make that history disappear with coaches and staff," Breer continued. "What happens if Jones comes back and has some bumps in the offseason, in camp or in an early game? Everyone will point right back to the history. Which makes for a tough environment for Jones to try and move forward in, and potentially a tough spot for Mayo to dig his first team out of."

Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports, ESPN's Field Yates and Walter Cherepinsky of Walter Football are among the analysts who believe the Patriots will look to acquire Jones' replacement via the third overall pick of this year's draft. 

New England is expected to try to get something in return for Jones' services at some point after the new league year opens in March.