What Devin McCourty Believes Patriots Should Do With Mac Jones

Patriots legend Devin McCourty watched Mac Jones flash legitimate franchise quarterback potential in his Pro Bowl rookie season.

However, a lot has changed since the 2021 campaign.

Jones took a significant step back as an NFL sophomore in 2022 before hitting rock bottom this season. A first-round pick three years ago, Jones endured a series of in-game benchings across 12 weeks in 2023 before he was finally demoted for good in early December. Jones watched from the sideline as New England put the finishing touches on its worst season in decades.

McCourty, as he recently explained on the "Eye on Foxborough" podcast, believes Jones still could be an effective player with the right offensive coordinator and setup. But if you take away qualifiers, the retired safety thinks it's time for the Patriots to sever ties with Jones.

"Right now, without having that offensive coordinator, if you're asking my opinion, I'd move on from Mac, start from scratch," McCourty said, as transcribed by MassLive. "I think it would help him to be elsewhere. ... So I think if the opportunity comes to trade him, I think it will help both sides."

The Patriots reportedly "won't hesitate" to make a deal if the right offer is made for Jones, who isn't expected to have his fifth-year option picked up. As for potential compensation, an NFL executive told MassLive's Karen Guregian that Jerod Mayo and company might be able to acquire a fourth- or fifth-round pick in exchange for the Alabama product.

Jones himself reportedly is at peace with the adjusted outlook of his NFL future in wake of his disastrous last two seasons. And considering the last few years in New England, a trade probably would make the 25-year-old even more optimistic about what's to come.