Julian Edelman shuts down Patriots replacing Mac Jones with four-time Pro Bowl QB
For the first time under Bill Belichick's reign, the New England Patriots are 1-5 and with minimal hope of earning a playoff berth in a stacked AFC East.
Belichick's future with the team is a relevant talking point, but Mac Jones' viability as a starting quarterback has approached full-blown panic mode among Patriots fans — including Bill Simmons.
Yet, despite Jones heading the 11th-worst passing offense in the NFL and getting benched in multiple games, former Patriots star Julian Edelman believes New England should maintain the status quo at QB. That means bypassing an opportunity to acquire four-time Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins of the Vikings by the Oct. 31 trade deadline.
Joining Von Miller's "The Voncast" earlier this week, Edelman opposed the Patriots making any drastic moves at quarterback.
“I would stick it out,” he said. “They’re not going to pay Kirk next year. You’d rent Kirk Cousins if you had a shot, unless you want to pay him for the next few years. I think you got to stick with Mac. This is where you see his mental toughness."
While the Patriots offense is stuck in neutral, it's still difficult to argue against Edelman's thinking. Cousins is playing on the final year of his contract, and at 35, he probably is set on joining a contender if the Vikings (2-4) choose not to commit to him long term.
Cousins, who is second in the NFL in passing yards (1,679), remains capable of pushing a bubble playoff team over the top.
New England could make one more title push with Belichick next season, strengthening the prospect of pursuing a proven veteran quarterback. The Patriots, however, have not won a playoff game in four years and are far closer to a rebuild than contending.
Through six games, Jones has five touchdowns and seven interceptions. His 36.4 QBR ranks 30th in the NFL, and he has not thrown for a touchdown since Week 3. In a Week 6 loss to the Raiders, he showed slight improvement, posting his second-best completion percentage of the season (72.73). Still, his performance wasn't great.
With a star-studded quarterback draft class on the horizon (Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Michael Penix Jr.) and a 26-year-old Kyler Murray of the Cardinals potentially on the trade block, Jones must improve tenfold to keep his starting job into next season.
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