Not even Tom Brady had this kind of job security entering any of his two decades under center in New England.
When the Patriots full list of roster cuts down to the NFL-mandated 53-man limit were revealed on Tuesday one thing jumped out to all the football-following world more than any other move: Mac Jones is the one and only QB on the roster put together by Bill Belichick and Matt Groh.
Talk about faith. Talk about working without a net. Talk about a change of narrative.
No, seriously, let’s talk about it.
Sure, there is a likelihood that either or both young dismissed passers Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham could be brought back to the practice squad or even elevated to the active roster by the time the defending NFC champion Eagles arrive at Gillette Stadium for the season opener on Sept. 10.
And there is also the chance that barely hours after you read this a quarterback from outside the training camp family could be added to an active roster that will very much be a work in progress in the days leading up to regular season action and probably well into the year.
But sending both Zappe – the 2022 backup who ignited the Foxborough “Faithful” fan base as a fourth-round rookie with his trial-by-fire work against the Packers, Lions and Browns Oh my! – and undrafted athletic rookie Cunningham to the waiver wire and open market sent a message as to just how much New England values the young quarterbacks.
So much for that media- and fan-driven narrative that there was a QB competition. That was fun while it didn’t exist.
Belichick has told us often over the years, when you cut a player you have to be prepared to lose him. So, this week, New England was clearly and obviously prepared to lose either Zappe or Cunningham. Or both. And was OK with that. That tells you just how much faith and value they have in the duo at this point in the developmental process.
As much as Belichick and Co. showed how little they think of Zappe and Cunningham, keeping Jones as the lone QB on roster if even for less than 24 hours of roster management maneuverings also has to say something about how the organization feels about the former No. 15 overall pick for the here and now.
Long gone is the time when we overanalyzed Belichick’s lukewarm support of Jones when he said the former Alabama star “has the ability to play quarterback in this league.”
Well, this league is the NFL. The league where this team, the Patriots play. And at the time of this writing, Jones is the only quarterback Belichick has chosen for Robert Kraft’s squad.
Long gone is the Pro Football Talk assessment from earlier this summer that Belichick “would like to be able to tell Mac to go sit his ass on the bench.”
If that was ever true, it no longer is. You can’t bench a guy if he doesn’t have a backup.
And if you are uncomfortable with a player’s ability to do his job – which should still be a key expectation in New England even if the dynasty days of the phrase are gone – you certainly don’t go without a backup.
If you are uncertain at a position generally you throw more bodies at it, not less. Kinda like this year’s roster displays with New England keeping 11 offensive linemen and six wide receivers. There can be perceived strength in numbers. If you don’t have full faith in the top of the depth chart you sure as spit better have some confidence in the bottom of it.
It is what it is.
The Patriots have one quarterback right now.
His name is Mac Jones.
He has a lot to prove this season.
And one way or the other is going to get every opportunity to prove himself.
Because for now, Jones is literally the chosen one at QB in New England.