Mac Jones didn’t work out in New England, but his roller coaster tenure might serve as a building block for the Patriots.
Jones flashed franchise quarterback potential as a rookie in the 2021 season when he earned a Pro Bowl selection and helped New England reach the playoffs. But the 25-year-old spiraled after that promising campaign, and the Patriots ultimately traded him before the final year of his rookie deal.
The new Jacksonville Jaguars signal-caller obviously deserves some of the blame for his New England tenure not working out. But first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, who was a linebackers coach for all three of Jones’ Patriots seasons, knows the organization didn’t do the QB many favors as well.
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“Mac Jones came in and had a lot of success early on,” Mayo told reporters Monday morning at the NFL annual meeting, as transcribed by Pro Football Network’s Dakota Randall. “… I would say it was a combination of things that really kind of hindered that growth in the second year. One thing I did learn about that process was, as you continue to develop a quarterback, it’s not only the players you put around him — but also the coaches you put around him.”
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The Patriots should be mindful of the cautionary tale that was Jones’ run in New England moving forward. Mayo and company are primed to select their next franchise quarterback in next month’s draft, and if they do, they should do everything in their power to set the signal-caller up for success. This would require some work, as the Patriots offense currently is deficient in star power.
But New England has the cash to make serious changes and soon might gain more draft capital to build toward a bright future. All told, the Patriots’ next rookie quarterback figures to have a better experience than Jones.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
