Mac Jones' future with the Patriots is unknown, and it should behoove Jerod Mayo and his staff to explore every option available.
The 25-year-old underwent a nightmare 2023 season after what was believed to have been his worst season as a pro when he had Matt Patricia and Joe Judge running the offense. Jones quickly lost faith in Bill O'Brien's offense and lost favor with Bill Belichick. The on-field outbursts ceased, but his reputation inside the Patriots locker room wasn't the greatest.
All that could change with Mayo at the helm. Robert Kraft once viewed Jones as a worthy successor to Tom Brady, and with Belichick out of the way, New England could try to salvage whatever confidence Jones has left.
However, that would be an egregious error on New England's part. It appears Jones peaked during his rookie season, and it would be wise of the Patriots to use their No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on a quarterback and completely shed the baggage Jones and Bailey Zappe carry.
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An NFL executive doesn't see the Patriots getting a lot back in a trade, especially if New England chooses to not pick up Jones' fifth-year option -- the team basically would be selling low -- but the third-year quarterback's first-round draft status might be worth taking a flyer on for one team. Here are four who could.
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Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenny Pickett simply was not it, and Mike Tomlin lost confidence in him in favor of Mason Rudolph when the season was on the line. Matt Canada was a horrible offensive coordinator, but Pickett has yet to flash any potential in the NFL. Tomlin's a loyal guy, and he might find solace in Jones, who hasn't publicly bashed New England amid his downfall. Jones fits the mold of an Arthur Smith quarterback: Play-action and deep balls. If Pittsburgh wants to go with a halfway rebuild, Jones would be its guy.
Las Vegas Raiders
Players really love Antonio Pierce, and he's proven to be a strong motivator of talent, just ask Jack Jones. Las Vegas cleaned out the majority of former Patriots after it fired Josh McDaniels and benched Jimmy Garoppolo. Pierce hasn't made it clear what he envisions for the offense other than that he wants to run the ball a lot. That will be dependent on who the offensive coordinator will be, but Jones could be a cheap option who could benefit from a ball-control offense.
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Denver Broncos
The Russell Wilson era in Denver is over, and Sean Payton will need to find his guy. The whole offense likely will get a revamp, but if Payton is in the "I can fix him" mood, Jones is someone who could benefit from a veteran offensive mind. Payton could give Jones the coaching he needs to remove the bad habits he developed in New England. The Wilson trade prevents the Broncos from making ambitious moves, so a Jones trade could be an option if they don't land a suitable quarterback in the draft.
Atlanta Falcons
New head coach Raheem Morris inherits a loaded squad. You combine that with interesting, young mind Zac Robinson and there's potential for the Falcons next season to make some noise. But who's the quarterback? It probably won't be Desmond Ridder, who hasn't shown any flashes of being at least a decent backup. It's probably more realistic to see the Patriots trade down from No. 3 so that the Falcons can take Jayden Daniels. But if Morris and Robinson view Jones' Alabama tape, maybe they think they can salvage his career with an efficient system to maximize his positives. A group of Jones, Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts sounds like a made-up team on NCAA Football, but it also sounds wild enough to happen if all things break the right way.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
