How Mac Jones Has Impressed This Patriots Leader During Offseason

FOXBORO, Mass. -- You'd be hard-pressed to find a quarterback who faced more scrutiny over their first two seasons than Mac Jones.

Couched optimism after Jones' solid rookie campaign with the Patriots gave way to relentless outrage over his failure to succeed in an impossible situation last season. From injuries to getting booed off his own field to enduring trade rumors, Jones went through the emotional gauntlet over the last year.

Through it all, the 2021 first-round pick has handled himself well, according to Matthew Slater.

"He's a resilient young man," New England's special teams captain said Tuesday. "Playing quarterback is one of the toughest jobs in all of pro sports. Everything you do is analyzed to the nth degree. I mean, 'What did he wear? What did he eat? What's he doing on his Instagram? Or workout?' You know, it's hard.

"But I think he's shown a great deal of mental toughness. I think he's learning, 'Hey, I'm just gonna focus on the things I can control, keep my head down, work hard, try and get better for our football team.' And I think that's been the approach of a lot of our younger players, and all of our players."

Of course, what Jones does off the field won't mean anything if it doesn't translate to success during games. And given Jones' looming contract situation, his performance in Year 3 will go a long way toward determining whether he has any future with the Patriots.

He'll look to take a meaningful first step Wednesday when the Patriots hold their first training camp practice.