A recent report from ESPN's Adam Schefter effectively ruled Mac Jones out of the Patriots' Week 4 matchup with the Packers.
However, the trip to Green Bay might only be one of several games the sophomore signal-caller misses for New England.
We know Jones sustained a high ankle sprain in the Patriots' loss to the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, but beyond the diagnosis, pretty much everything about the quarterback's injury situation still is a mystery. The 24-year-old and the organization reportedly haven't yet decided on how to treat the ankle, which in turn leaves Jones' timetable for return up in the air.
NBC Sports Boston's Tom E. Curran didn't provide any clear-cut answers Tuesday on "Gresh & Keefe," but the longtime Patriots reporter did offer a bit of clarity on Jones' status.
"Best-case scenario would be two weeks," Curran said, as transcribed by WEEI. "The swelling goes down, and he's able to get out there and play. But worst-case scenario, from stuff I've sourced and medical personnel I've communicated with who take care of athletes, is basically two to eight weeks depending on the severity. The severity, given his reaction, was pretty extreme. One would have to say you're probably not gonna see him before Halloween."
Jones needing a full month to get back on the field would be very troubling for the Patriots, as the upcoming five weeks have been perceived as the "lighter" portion of New England's 2022 schedule. If the Patriots flounder while Jones is sidelined, it might not be too early to call it a lost campaign for Bill Belichick's team.
