Mac Jones has gone from a quality passer as a rookie to fighting for his future in his third season with the New England Patriots.
Regression has been a theme since Jones made the Pro Bowl as an alternate after leading New England to a playoff appearance in 2021. Now sitting at 2-8, Jones and the Patriots are a shell of what the core could have built on after the first season.
Additionally, reports about declining support for Jones in New England have only hurt the perception of the former first-round pick.
FS1's Colin Cowherd broke down the Jones era in New England, stating that while Jones has taken a step back on his own, lackluster coaching staff and inefficient skill players have also impacted the play of the quarterback.
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"Mac was always limited athletically, so he was somebody that needed weapons to flourish," Cowherd said on "The Herd" on Thursday. "There's an argument, I think it's fairly conclusive, that Mac had better running back and wide receiver talent at Alabama than he does in the NFL. I don't think it's particularly close. I think Mac Jones would look different if he had Brock Purdy's weapons and Kyle Shanahan's. Of course, almost everybody would."
With so much coaching turnover in his career, including three offensive play-callers in three seasons, Jones has not had the stability to thrive in a once-ideal scenario.
"I don't think is a fair representation after his rookie year of what he is, but I can also acknowledge he's been disappointing," Cowherd added. "I thought this was a perfect landing spot for him with Josh McDaniels. Once Josh left, it's the worst possible landing spot."
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Cowherd did note that changing coaching and a lack of talent around the quarterback has been an issue prior to Jones, dating back to the offensive decline in Tom Brady's final season with the Patriots in 2019.
"This thing was falling apart when Mac Jones got there," Cowherd noted. "It's only gotten worse."
Given how much has gone wrong for Jones in recent times, Cowherd believes a new direction could be coming in the Patriots' pursuit of a franchise quarterback if the team continues to lose in 2023.
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"It has gone downhill and I think they're going to go get another quarterback," Cowherd said.
Jones and the Patriots look to find some rhythm against the New York Giants in Week 12.
Featured image via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
