Mac Jones Trade? Adam Schefter Evaluates Chances Of Patriots Dealing QB

The New England Patriots’ season is spiraling down the drain, with a 31-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday all but ensuring Bill Belichick and company will be on the outside looking in come playoff time.

Thus, it would behoove the Patriots to sell off some pieces before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. They have a few impending free agents, for instance, who could bring extra draft capital to New England.

But what if the Patriots really wanted to be bold? Could they trade quarterback Mac Jones?

Pat McAfee floated the idea by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.

“Mac Jones is interesting, but then that’s New England just cashing out on its season. Because one of the reasons the Patriots haven’t made a quarterback change is they just don’t have another guy right now that they feel they can turn to,” Schefter said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “So, if you’re trading away Mac Jones in a season that’s gone south anyway, OK, but that’s checking out at less than the halfway mark, which just seems a little strange to me when they like Mac Jones and they don’t have another guy.”

Several teams across the NFL have questions at the quarterback position. That includes the Vikings, who lost Kirk Cousins to a season-ending Achilles injury in Minnesota’s Week 8 win over the Green Bay Packers.

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Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who missed Week 8 with an ankle injury, has been kicked around in trade rumors, especially with rookie QB Will Levis making an impressive debut Sunday in Tennessee’s win over the Atlanta Falcons. But Jones is another name to consider, even if it seems very unlikely the Patriots will trade the third-year signal-caller before Tuesday’s deadline.

“Let’s say Minnesota wanted Mac Jones — and this is the first I’ve heard of it,” Schefter said. “What do the Vikings give up for him? And what are the Patriots willing to trade him for? It’s hard to come up with that equation to make it work for both sides.”

Jones, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, hasn’t exactly been set up for success in New England, where questionable coaching and a suspect supporting cast continue to plague the Patriots. But he hasn’t done himself any favors, either, and it’s starting to feel like a change of scenery eventually might be best for all parties involved.

Just don’t expect it to happen right now.