The era of Mac Jones with the New England Patriots appears to be drawing to a close, with recent reports suggesting that first-year head coach Jerod Mayo plans to trade the former first-round pick in the coming weeks.
Selected as the fifth quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft, Jones secured the starting role for Week 1 over Cam Newton and showed promise during his rookie season. He led the team through all 17 games, helping them secure their first playoff spot since the departure of Tom Brady, with impressive stats including a 67.6% completion rate, 3,801 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
However, Jones struggled to maintain that momentum in subsequent seasons. Under offensive coordinator Matt Patricia in 2022, his performance dipped slightly, completing 65.2% of his passes for 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Despite the arrival of Bill O’Brien as coordinator in 2023, Jones experienced his worst season yet, completing just 64.9% of his passes for 2,120 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions before being replaced by Bailey Zappe.
Even with Bill Belichick no longer at the helm, the Patriots have decided that trading Mac Jones is their best move. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network has indicated that Jones’ time in New England is nearing its end.
“Even though Bill Belichick is gone, Mac Jones – who lost the starting role and ended up third string by the end of the 2023 season – is a trade candidate in the coming weeks and most likely will end up elsewhere for the 2024 season.”
This potential trade doesn’t come as a shock, given the Patriots’ significant resources, including the third overall draft pick and substantial cap space of $69.8 million. They have the means to address their quarterback situation by either signing a seasoned veteran or drafting someone like Jayden Daniels.
After the disappointment of the 2023 season, it seems mutually beneficial for both Jones and the team to part ways.
While it’s unlikely that any team would acquire Mac Jones with the intention of making him their starting quarterback, he could still be a valuable addition for a low cost. As a former first-round pick, he presents a low-risk opportunity for a team willing to take a chance on him at the pivotal quarterback position.
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