The Patriots reportedly are open for business when it comes to their starting quarterback, and there might be a Mac Jones fan out on the West Coast.
When the 49ers traded up to acquire the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, it was reported San Francisco did so with the intention of drafting Jones. The Niners ultimately went with Trey Lance, who didn't really play as a rookie and had his sophomore season derailed by a serious ankle injury.
Coupling Lance's rough start in the professional ranks with the emergency of Brock Purdy, it feels safe to say the former's future in the Bay Area is uncertain. But the same might be said in New England for Jones, who reportedly was shopped to multiple teams by Bill Belichick this offseason.
So when talking about Jones' future on the "Patriots Talk Podcast," ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio floated the idea of a one-for-one swap featuring third-year signal-callers.
"How about Mac Jones for Trey Lance? Straight up," Florio told hosts Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry, as transcribed by NBC Sports Boston. "Wouldn't that be something?"
Florio added: "Why not Trey Lance for Mac Jones? I don't know if the Patriots would want Trey Lance, but when you look at the struggles Bill has had against mobile quarterbacks as a defensive coach, why wouldn't you want to try to get the most you could out of a quarterback with real mobility?"
There might not be any merit to the Jones trade rumors, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft has made it clear that he's a big fan of the Alabama product. But if New England eventually commits to moving Jones, doing business with a familiar trade partner could appeal to Belichick.
