The early part of the NFL offseason is often called “the silly season” as there’s so much speculation about teams’ plans and potential in free agency, the draft and more. Even as signings are announced and transactions take place, there’s still so much we don’t know. Yet takes fly fast and furious all over the place. Somehow, one prominent TV and radio host has offered up a plan for the Patriots rebuild that is so ludicrous it merits mention, if not applause, for its sheer absurdity.
On Tuesday’s edition of The Herd, Colin Cowherd, no stranger to outrageous theories and scalding hot takes, took the next level to a new place with his idea of how the Patriots could rebuild: By tanking and, get this, trading Mac Jones to…you guessed it, the New York Jets!
No, it’s not April Fools Day yet. This was not a bit.
Cowherd’s idea is centered on the Aaron Rodgers deal from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets falling apart, leading to their want to win now with a new QB. So they would call the Patriots, who would then deal Mac Jones to the Jets, leading the Patriots to subsequently tank the 2023 season for a top QB pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, presumably USC’s Caleb Williams or UNC’s Drake Maye. Got it?
This is truly offseason bad take performance art at its finest.
The idea that Bill Belichick would ever tank a season when he’s so close to passing Don Shula for most wins ever by an NFL head coach, or would help the Jets out (he loathes the Jets more than talking to the media) is laugh out loud-able. That owner Robert Kraft, so upset over the 2022 season that he would email all season ticket holders to promise the team would double its efforts to improve for 2023, would allow a tank season is flat-out preposterous.
Who knows what the Jets think of Jones, whom they barely lost to twice in 2022? And as for Jones being traded? While unlikely, it wouldn’t stop the presses or send shockwaves, but popular thinking is he’ll have his shot at a redemption season in Foxboro in 2023 under new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.
If the Rodgers deal fails, Lamar Jackson could become a valuable and expensive Option B for the Jets, but Mac Jones as the QB of the NYJ, traded away by a tanking NEP? With so much substantial league action to talk about now, it’s a head-scratcher that Cowherd would chum the waters with this. But then again it’s also Colin Cowherd.
A laugh like this is welcome most especially this time of year.
