Mike Florio's report about the Patriots reportedly shopping Mac Jones has thrown yet another wrench into an already consequential New England's this off-season.
The NBC Sports insider linked Jones to four teams (the Raiders, Texans, Buccaneers and Commanders) in his claim that Bill Belichick dangled the third-year quarterback as trade bait, though local reporters have contradicted those reports with their own sources. (The Raiders have signed Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency and may have an outside shot at a top quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft, while the Texans are overwhelmingly expected to take a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick.)
Nonetheless, it does seem as if real tension exists between the two sides over the handling of the offensive coaching staff last year, which was a large factor in Jones regressing in his second season.
That doesn't mean the Patriots should seriously consider dealing Jones this off-season, though, according to former Patriots defensive back Jason McCourty.
“So I think these rumblings and everything we’re hearing, we need to slow down," said McCourty on NFL Network's "Good Morning, Football!" Wednesday, referencing Matt Patricia and Joe Judge's ill-suited qualifications to run the offense last season as well as Patriots owner Robert Kraft's positive comments about Jones at the NFL owners meetings.
"Let’s see what Mac Jones does in Year 3 with a guy like (new offensive coordinator) Bill O’Brien coming back who has a ton of experience, a ton of success in the NFL, in the college ranks, and let’s see what Mac is able to do in his third year as quarterback for the New England Patriots. Let’s see how he overcomes all this adversity of all the conversations being had and all of these different things.
“But be careful what you wish for in hopes of ‘there’s something better on the other side,’ that the grass is greener, because Mac was really good in his rookie year. Let’s see what he can become.”
Whether or not you believe in Jones as the long-term answer at quarterback, McCourty's plea for caution is well-advised.
First of all, the talks for any trade of Jones start at a first-round pick, so let's dispense with any talks about Day 2 selections being "enough" to do the deal. Honestly, it would be malpractice by the Patriots to accept anything less in a deal right now. This isn't like the Cardinals trading Josh Rosen after taking Kyler Murray first overall in 2019. New England does not have a better option in hand at quarterback right now, so trading Jones would be nonsensical.
No team is going to trade a first-round pick for Jones today, so that means he's probably not going anywhere in the immediate future.
Additionally, the Patriots are unlikely to land a quarterback at No. 14 overall that would absolutely be better than Jones right now -- not even the uber-talented Anthony Richardson. They also have shown they're not interested in trading the draft capital needed to acquire Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud nor are they willing to trade multiple first-round picks AND pay Lamar Jackson what he'd want to come to Foxborough.
Unless a quarterback they like falls into their lap or they change their minds on one of the other scenarios, Mac Jones is going to be the best quarterback on their roster after the draft.
With that in mind, there is no incentive to trade Jones at this juncture aside from their reported frustration with one another, which (whatever you think of Jones reaching out to college coaches amid last year's struggles) is Belichick's fault in the first place for trusting Patricia and Judge to lead the offense.
Until the Patriots actually make a move for another quarterback or see if Bailey Zappe can overtake Jones in training camp, expect Jones to be on the roster and start Week 1 for this team in 2023.
It's highly unlikely Belichick is that mad that he's willing to mess around and find out with someone else as opposed to rolling with Jones in Year 3.
