There’s been little indication that the New England Patriots are actually ready to move on from Mac Jones any time soon. While the former 15th overall pick from 2021 did experience a bit of a sophomore slump in 2022, the Patriots likely feel they’ve already made a big step toward maximizing their young QB’s potential by hiring Bill O’Brien to run the offense.
Yet, if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years about Patriots coach/general manager Bill Belichick, it’s that he rarely does what’s conventional. He also isn’t afraid to part with core members of the team.
Basically, while trading their 24-year-old QB seems unlikely, don’t underestimate the Patriot Way.
Should a team like the Las Vegas Raiders, with familiar face Josh McDaniels running the ship, come calling for Jones, making an offer too good to refuse, the Patriots’ plans could quickly change.
In fact, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, there’s been “some chatter” about the Raiders trying to trade for Jones, reuniting him with McDaniels, who coached the QB during his rookie season.
Obviously, the Raiders need a new signal-caller after letting Derek Carr go. A recent report suggested they won’t be chasing after Aaron Rodgers, preferring to find a long-term solution instead. That could very well come with the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Or, as Graziano passes along, possibly even trading for a young, somewhat proven QB, such as Jones. Plus, the added benefit of having immediate familiarity between Jones and McDaniels could be viewed as a major advantage.
Either way, the Raiders appear to be keeping their options open when it comes to identifying their starting QB for the 2023 season. Perhaps that solution is Mac Jones, perhaps it’s still Aaron Rodgers, or maybe it’s another proven option like free agent Jimmy Garoppolo. We should have our answer soon enough.
Related: Ranking the 6 realistic Las Vegas Raiders starting quarterback options for 2023