The New England Patriots have traded quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a Day 3 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Under league rules, the trade won’t be official until the 2024 NFL league year begins on Wednesday and he passes his physical.
Jones, the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, appeared to be the Patriots’ quarterback of the future after his first season. He posted a 10-7 record as the starter in New England, earned a Pro Bowl selection and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team after posting a 92.5 QB rating and 22-13 TD-INT ratioÂ
- Mac Jones stats 2023:Â 2,120 passing yards, 10-12 TD-INT, 6.1 yards per attempt, 77.0 QB rating
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Everything unraveled for Jones and the Patriots’ offense after Josh McDaniels left. Across his final two seasons, the 6-foot-3 quarterback was benched multiple times and combined for an 81.4 quarterback rating with a 24-23 TD-INT ratio and an 8-17 record in 25 games. Even after New England parted ways with Bill Belichick, who clashed with Jones, a split with the former first-round pick was expected.
As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Patriots are finalizing a deal to send Jones to Jacksonville. While the trade won’t be official until Wednesday, the sides were reportedly discussing a sixth-round pick being involved in the trade.
Notably, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Jaguars were the only team to offer something to New England in exchange for Jones as of yesterday. The Patriots revisited talks on Sunday morning and the two sides agreed to a deal, providing a fresh start and a homecoming for the former first-round pick.
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- Mac Jones contract:Â $4.959 million cap hit in 2024
Jones, 25, will now serve as the backup to fellow 2021 first-round pick Trevor Lawrence. While he isn’t expected to see the field in 2024, this provides Jones with a fresh start back home. He starred at The Bolles School in Jacksonville, leading one of the region’s top high school teams to a state regional final and a Florida 4A title.
With Jones officially off the roster, New England can turn its focus entirely to finding its next franchise quarterback. The Patriots have been tied to Baker Mayfield in NFL free agency and they reportedly have strong views on the top quarterbacks in the 2024 draft class.
