Patriots QB room reportedly got ‘toxic’ with Mac Jones

There has been some talk about the New England Patriots potentially giving Mac Jones one more shot to be their starting quarterback in 2024, but it sounds like some significant issues would need to be sorted through for that to happen.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated was asked in his latest mailbag if he believes there is a chance new Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo will stick with Jones. The longtime NFL insider said he would be “surprised” and believes the Jones era in New England has run its course.

According to Breer, the Patriots’ quarterback room was “toxic” over the last two seasons. Jones is said to have lost support within the organization. The former first-round pick’s relationship with fellow quarterback Bailey Zappe was so bad that Zappe “sometimes watched tape in the receiver room” as a rookie in 2022, Breer says.

That does not mean the Patriots would choose Zappe over Jones. However, it is possible that Jones has simply worn out his welcome in New England, even with Bill Belichick out of the picture. Jones was so bad the last two seasons that fans — and potentially even some teammates — will instantly turn on him if he is the starter next season and struggles early on.

The Patriots have the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. That puts them in a position to land either Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, assuming Caleb Williams goes No. 1. Even if they opt to not draft a quarterback that high, New England would probably pursue an upgrade over Jones on the free-agent market.