Rodney Harrison is just going off the tape, but he likes what he sees in Mac Jones.
The New England Patriots on Tuesday made Jones their starter by reportedly cutting Cam Newton. Jones had up-and-down moments in camp, but largely looked good and rarely made the same mistake twice.
After a bumpy 2020 season with Newton under center, the Patriots now will look at the rookie to get the organization back on track following the departure of Tom Brady.
Harrison thinks that, if nothing else, there are shades of Brady in Jones.
“When I saw this kid play, I got excited. I saw versions of Tom Brady. If you put No. 12 on No. 10, that’s what I saw,” Harrison told The Boston Globe’s Karen Guregian on Tuesday. “I saw a guy that was youthful, a guy that when they scored a touchdown, he was pumped up and fired up, engaging his teammates.
“Look, at the end of the day, if you’re not doing what’s best for the team, and that’s what you’ve always preached, then you’re not being fair to the team,” Harrison added, referencing Belichick. “I just relied on what I saw on tape. It was nothing personal. When I saw Mac Jones play, and when I saw his command of the offense, and I saw his arm strength, his awareness and his presence, and I saw him in the no-huddle, he just looked comfortable. He just looks the part.”
Time will tell if Jones is up for the task. But it’s impossible to ignore the eye test so far.
