Starting Mac Jones would be in the best interest of the Patriots and their hopes of being a legitimate contender in the 2021 NFL season.
That’s what Dan Orlovsky believes, at least.
Orlovsky on Monday very bluntly explained which route New England should go under center. While most signs point to Cam Newton getting the nod to start the season, Orlovsky believes the Patriots would be better served by rolling with the rookie.
“Mac Jones today is the better player,” Orlovsky said on ESPN’s “Get Up,” as transcribed by WEEI. “Mac Jones three or four months from now is going to be the better player. And I’m aware of what that means. Cam Newton has been very good — this is not a situation where Cam gave away the starting job. This is a situation where Mac Jones went out and took it.”
Orlovsky continued: “Mac Jones just plays fast. In these close quarterback competitions, when you have one player that’s older and one player that’s younger, I always lean on going with the player that’s younger. With Mac Jones at quarterback, it would close the gap between New England and all the other really good teams in the AFC, mainly Kansas City, Cleveland and Buffalo. If Mac Jones is their starter, which he would be for me, I would put him at the very top of the list for Offensive Rookie of the Year.”
Claiming Jones is a better player than Newton is by no means a hot take. But Orlovsky might be a bit ambitious in believing the Alabama product will catapult the Patriots into the upper echelon of the AFC. Turning around a 7-9 team from a season ago is a tall task for any quarterback, let alone a first-year signal-caller.
