The New England Patriots made the call to cut ties with former first round quarterback Mac Jones, shipping him off to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a measly sixth round pick, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Jones, who started his career with so much promise in New England, fell out of favor with Bill Belichick and the coaching staff in 2023. The relationship got so frosty that Belichick reportedly stopped speaking to Jones.
Jones’ fall from grace culminated in the Pats benching him for fourth round pick Bailey Zappe
Even with a new regime coming in following Belichick’s departure, there was too much stink on Jones and his New England tenure to justify keeping him.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 26: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots attempts a pass during the second quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on November 26, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Elsa/Getty Images
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 7: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots looks on during a game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on January 7, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Billie Weiss/Getty Images
Clearly they wanted him gone because a sixth round pick for a guy who was talented enough to garner a first round selection is essentially giving him away for free. (RELATED: Hall Of Famer Says He Made More Money From One Podcast Episode Than Any Single Year In The NFL)
Jones will now get a fresh start in Jacksonville, the town where he grew up, and a chance to back up Trevor Lawrence, the first QB taken in Jones’ 2021 NFL Draft.
It’s a smart move for Jacksonville despite their existing QB depth. C.J. Beathard, who they signed to a two-year, $4.5 million contract in 2023 to back up Lawrence.
Lawrence has only missed one game in his NFL career, he sat out a week 17 game with a sprained AC joint, but the 2021 first overall selection was banged up all of last season with knee, ankle and head injuries.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JANUARY 07: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars throws a pass during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. Justin Ford/Getty Images
Jones provides solid insurance in the event Lawrence can’t go and he’ll likely push Beathard for the team’s primary back-up QB role. It’s a solid buy-low move from Jacksonville as they clearly still believe Jones’ talent.
For New England this clearly spells their desire to take a quarterback in the upcoming draft. With their third overall selection, one of the consensus top three QBs will be available for them. It’s unlikely that USC stud Caleb Williams doesn’t go first overall so the Pats signal caller will likely be either LSU’s Jayden Daniels or UNC’s Drake Maye, though Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy could also be in the mix.