New England Patriots ‘open’ to Mac Jones trade, 3 ideal landing spots including Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones
Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 31, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) walks out to the field prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones looked like he could be the face of the franchise after earning his first Pro Bowl selection as a rookie. After two disappointing seasons and with the franchise headed in a new direction, it appears Jones will be floated heavily in NFL trade rumors this offseason.

Jones, the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, got off to a promising start. The 6-foot-3 quarterback posted a 92.5 QB rating with a 67.6 percent completion rate and 22 passing touchdowns as a rookie. When the Patriots coaching staff lost Josh McDaniels, however, Jones’ performance plummeted.

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The second-year quarterback struggled in 2022 with Matt Patricia as offensive coordinator and Joe Judge as his quarterbacks coach. Jones’ quarterback rating fell to 84.8 and he threw nearly as many interceptions (11) as touchdowns (14). While New England eventually brought in Bill O’Brien, the damage to Jones’ confidence and consistency was done. He regressed even further in 2023 and is now reportedly on the trade block.

According to Mark Daniels of MassLive.com, the Patriots are very open to trading Jones this offseason and will move him if the price is right. With a new coaching staff coming in, New England is focused this offseason on finding an upgrade at quarterback and that makes Jones very expendable.

Interestingly, however, Belichick’s departure does increase the chances of Jones staying in New England. If the Patriots had kept their future Hall of Fame coach around, Jones would’ve been a near certainty to be traded.

Mac Jones trade landing spots

Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

With the Patriots prepared to decline the fifth-year option on the Mac Jones contract, any team that acquires the former first-round pick would only have him for the 2024 season. It diminished the return for New England and opens up the possibility for Jones to land with a team that has cap limitations and needs more competition at quarterback in 2024.

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