The Patriots may have drafted a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft, but make no mistake, Mac Jones is still in the driver's seat for New England.
Jones impressed in his rookie season, helping the Patriots earn a playoff berth. New England has made efforts to provide Jones added support in his second-year to aid his development. DeVante Parker is the highlight of the Patriots' moves, but how do those moves stack up compared to teams with their own second-year quarterbacks?
PFF's Sam Monson looked at each situation for the top second-year quarterbacks and ranked them. Zack Wilson of the New York Jets and Trey Lance of the San Francisco 49ers came in first and second, respectively. Jones was ranked third for Monson, and he gave B grades overall to his categories of "receivers," "protection" and "coaching." The Patriots' 2022 draft class was criticized, but there are still a lot of factors that can help Jones succeed in his second year.
"All of a sudden, the Patriots might not have a collection of star receivers, but they have a diverse and capable group that Jones should be able to take advantage of," Monson wrote. "Exactly what combination of five offensive linemen takes the field this season is still under construction, but it should be a quality unit, regardless. The Patriots' line finished last season ranked inside the top 10, and that was without Michael Onwenu getting much playing time. Onwenu has PFF grades of 84.3 and 87.0 since coming into the league and has shown a very high ceiling as a starter across multiple positions.
"For the first time in years, New England's offense will be called by somebody other than Josh McDaniels. Who exactly is in charge is a little less clear, as there is no offensive coordinator on the staff — only a collection of position assistants and Joe Judge brought back as an offensive assistant. The expertise on staff is defensive-minded, and how the team fares running the offense without McDaniels remains unclear."
Jones threw 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2021. He will hope to improve on those numbers while maintaining his efficient play.
