The Patriots over the offseason made it clear that Mac Jones would have increased input on the offense in his second NFL season.
However, it doesn’t sound like we should expect to see the quarterback gain more ownership of the unit with each passing year.
Jones has done enough through a season-plus in New England to suggest he might be the Patriots’ franchise quarterback for the next decade-plus. The last signal-caller who held that title for an extended period of time, Tom Brady, effectively had complete control of the offense once he unequivocally proved himself and New England arguably was better for it.
But according to NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran, Bill Belichick and company currently aren’t planning to give Jones the same amount of power.
“I don’t know if they want to get to where they were with Brady, where it was very much, ‘We rely on this guy’s brain, and that guy’s brain, and nobody else knows what’s going on'” Curran said Tuesday on “Gresh & Keefe,” as transcribed by WEEI. “Or they all have to catch up to those two, meaning (Josh) McDaniels and Brady. I think they want to make it more user-friendly for everybody.”
This reported strategy might have more to do with team philosophy than Jones himself. Who knows, the Patriots might have had a similar plan for Brady until the future Hall of Famer forced the coaching staff’s hand by playing at an unprecedented level.
As for Jones, he’ll try to inspire more confidence from his coaches Sunday when the Patriots play their home opener against the Baltimore Ravens.
