New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones experienced a turbulent 2022 season on the field, including poor performances and clashes with the coaching staff. Now, the former first-round pick is the subject of NFL trade rumors and has seemingly drawn the ire of Bill Belichick.
Jones played extremely well in his rookie season. After being selected with the 15th pic in the 2021 NFL Draft, he earned a Pro Bowl selection and made the PFWA All-Rookie Team. By posting a 92.5 quarterback rating with a 10-7 record in his first NFL season, many believed the Patriots found their new franchise quarterback.
- Mac Jones contract: $4.25 million cap hit (2023), $4.959 million cap hit (’24), 2025 fifth-year team option
Related: Bill Belichick hints Mac Jones may not be the starting QB in 2023
However, Jones and the Patriots’ offense took a step back in 2022. Across 14 starts, he posted a 6-8 record with an 84.4 quarterback rating. While many cited the issues on play-caller Matt Patricia, including Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft, reports on Belichick’s sentiment towards Jones weren’t positive this offseason.
It fueled recent trade rumors that Belichick shopped Jones around the NFL, reaching out to teams like the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans. Just hours after those reports surfaced, though, many outside of the Patriots’ organization shot down the speculation.
Multiple high-ranking executives for quarterback-needy teams in the NFC and AFC both told Jeff Howe of The Athletic that New England never approached them about the idea of trading Jones this offseason.
- Mac Jones stats (2022): 14-11 TD-INT, 65.2% completion rate, 6.8 yards per attempt
Despite Jones’ struggles in 2022, many teams were high on him during the pre-draft process and he received strong reviews after his rookie season. If the Patriots were serious about trading him, multiple clubs likely would’ve been involved.
The denials from NFL executives adds further uncertainty to the Patriots’ quarterback situation in 2023. Considering Belichick benched both Jones and Bailey Zappe last season, it’s reasonable to conclude he lacks confidence in either quarterback long-term.
While the Patriots will likely roll with Jones as their starting quarterback this fall, change might be on the horizon in New England. Depending on the level of success achieved and whether or not the team met Kraft’s expectations, it’s possible Jones or Belichick don’t return in 2024.
