Mac Jones may have taken his final snap with the Patriots. The young quarterback, who was highly sought after as a first-round pick in 2021 to lead the team into the post-Tom Brady era, hasn’t seen the success initially envisioned.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, teams have expressed interest in acquiring Jones as the Patriots embark on their first season under head coach Jerod Mayo.
Despite making a Pro Bowl appearance in 2021 and being a runner-up for the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year, Jones finds himself potentially on the trade block as he enters the last year of his rookie deal.
NFL.com reported that New England seems receptive to trade discussions involving Jones. This development follows recent remarks by Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who indicated that the team is exploring all options for the upcoming season.
Jones faced struggles during the Patriots’ challenging 2023 campaign, where he was benched on four occasions and managed a 2-9 record as a starter.
He recorded 10 touchdown passes against 12 interceptions while completing just 64.9 percent of his passes, marking a career-low completion rate.
With the Patriots holding the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, they also have quarterbacked Bailey Zappe on their roster. Zappe, a fourth-round selection in the 2022 Draft, is currently under contract until 2025 and will become a restricted free agent thereafter, per Spotrac.
In 2023, Zappe made six starts and appeared in 10 games, tallying six touchdown passes and nine interceptions with 1,272 passing yards. The Patriots won two out of the six games started by Zappe, culminating in a 4-13 record for the turbulent season that concluded with a loss to the Jets, marking the end of Belichick’s tenure with the team.
