The four-team Patriots could trade Mack Jones for a draft pick.
Someone has to believe they can fix Jones.
Mack Jones’ future with the Patriots is uncertain, and Jerod Mayo and his staff should explore all available options.
The 25-year-old had a terrible season in 2023 after having his worst season as a pro with Matt Patricia and Joe George leading the charge. Jones quickly lost confidence in Bill O’Brien’s offense and fell out of favor with Bill Belichick. The on-field riots died down, but his reputation in the Patriots locker room was not good. All that could change under Mayo. Robert Kraft once thought Jones was a worthy successor to Tom Brady, and Belichick could stand in the way and New England could try to keep Jones’ faith. But that would be New England’s mistake. Jones appears to have peaked in his rookie season, and the Patriots would be wise to use their No. 3 in the 2024 NFL Draft on a quarterback to completely take the burden off Jones and Bailey Zappe.
NFL executives don’t think the Patriots will gain much from the trade. Especially if New England decides not to pick up Jones’ fifth-year option (the team is essentially trading down) and instead select a third-year first-round pick. Draft status is a good idea to include a flyer in a team. Here are four possibilities: Pittsburgh SteelersKenny Pickett didn’t and Mike Tomlin lost faith in him when the season started in favor of Mason Rudolph. Matt Canada has been a terrible offensive coordinator, but Pickett has no NFL potential yet. Tomlin is an honest man, and he can take solace in Jones not winning the New England collapse. Jones fits Arthur Smith’s four-quarter mold of play-action and deep balls. If Pittsburgh wants to keep him during their rebuild, Jones could be the man.
Las Vegas RaidersThe players really like Antonio Pearce and he has proven to be a strong motivator for their talent. Ask Jack Jones. Las Vegas purged most of its former Patriots after firing Josh McDaniels and dethroning Jimmy Garoppolo. Pierce didn’t explain what he envisioned for the offense, other than he wished he had the ball more. It depends on who the offensive coordinator is, but Jones could be a cheap option that could benefit a ball-control offense.Denver BroncosThe Russell Wilson era in Denver is over and Sean Payton will have to find his man. The entire offense may need an overhaul, but if Payton has the “I can fix it” mentality, Jones is someone who could benefit from an experienced offensive mind. Payton can give Jones the workout he needs to break his bad habits in New England. Trading Wilson wouldn’t be an ambitious move for the Broncos, so trading Jones could be an option if they can’t find a suitable quarterback in the draft.
Atlanta FalconsNew manager Raheem Morris has inherited a formidable squad. Combine that with the exciting young mind of Zach Robinson and the Falcons could make some noise next season. But who are the defenders? At least it won’t be Desmond Ridder, who has shown no signs of being a decent backup. It might be more realistic to see the Patriots trade up to No. 3 so the Falcons can acquire Jayden Daniels. But if Morris and Robinson follow Jones’ record at Alabama, they may believe they can continue their careers with an effective improvement system. Jones, Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts sound like a great team in NCAA football, but they’re also a passionate enough team if things go the right way.
