Mac Jones very well could be the New England Patriots' starting quarterback when he's healthy enough to return, as a report Thursday morning expressed, but head coach Bill Belichick has yet to share the plan.
Belichick has had many opportunities to confirm Jones, not rookie Bailey Zappe, would return to lead the offense when healthy, but instead he has opted not to bite. There are a few reasons as to why the veteran head coach might be going that route, but there's no debating it has allowed New England's quarterback controversy to pick up steam.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer has been as connected as any while reporting on Jones' frustrations with the Patriots, sharing Sunday how the relationship has gone "sideways" ever since the departure of Josh McDaniels, with a disagreement in Jones' recovery from his high ankle sprain proving another sticking point. The NFL insider tripled down on those thoughts Thursday morning on 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Zolak and Bertrand" while adding how Belichick's public handling of the Jones-Zappe storyline also might not have been met too fondly by the 2021 first-rounder.
" ... And then you get how Bill has handled the whole question of whether or not Mac will be the starter when he's healthy, regardless of how Bailey Zappe plays. And you guys know as well as I do, Bill doesn't do anything by mistake," Breer said on the radio station. "Bill could have very easily, at some point over the last couple of weeks, answered that question and said, 'Yes, he is the starter. Mac Jones is our starter when he's healthy enough to go.' He's declined to do that."
Breer theorized why Belichick might be taking that approach.
"I don't know exactly why he's declined to do that, but I have a theory," Breer continued. "And my theory is he wants to create some level of competition, some level of tension for Mac, and then show Mac like, 'Look, if you follow what we're doing offensively, if you follow the coaching, it's not bad. We got a fourth-round rookie out of Western Kentucky up and running and playing really well.' So I think that there was some element of Mac being a little loose with the ball, taking chances early in the year, that they want to coach out of them. And I think that this is a method to do that."
Breer also included a comparison to Tom Brady while citing Jones' makeup and further addressing why the Patriots might have let the situation play out.
"He's not Tom Brady, and I'm not saying like the attitude is better or worse or anything like that, but his background is different," Breer said. "And I think there are a lot of people -- my theory on this is I think a lot of people (in New England) are wanting to see the things from Mac that you saw from an early Tom Brady. And Tom Brady at that age was very much 'Yes sir, no sir,' uncomfortable because he knew how he got his job and 'I don't want to lose my job.'
"And (Mac's) a different dude with a way different background. You know what I mean?" Breer added of the Alabama product. "And so I think part of what the Patriots have done and how they've handled this, over the last month, is recognition of that. And, 'You know what, maybe it's good for the kid if we don't just declare him the starter. Maybe it's good for him if he has to go watch the fourth-round rookie play. Maybe it's good for him if he has to feel a little uncomfortable.' "
Jones expects to be available for New England's Week 7 clash on "Monday Night Football" against the Chicago Bears, as reported by ESPN's Mike Reiss on Thursday. An additional report Wednesday from Pro Football Focus' Doug Kyed estimated Jones was "85-to-90%" recovered and would be willing to play through any lingering injury issues.
The Patriots are an eight-point favorite entering their Week 7 matchup with the Bears.
