With the Patriots sitting at 1-5, it certainly feels like major changes could be on the way in Foxborough. One of those changes could come at quarterback, where time may be running out for Mac Jones amid a second straight rough season.
The question is when that change could come and what it might look like. Does Jones get the rest of this season before New England makes a decision in the offseason? Will he be benched for one of Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham or Will Grier and spend the rest of the season as a backup? Or, could the Patriots even trade Jones before this season’s Oct. 31 trade deadline? Would there even be interest from other teams?
Making his weekly appearance on Jones & Mego, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said he believes there would be interest in Jones if the Patriots make him available in the next two weeks. Listen to the full interview above.
“I think so, for sure,” Orlovsky said. “You can watch the tape and still say the talent, the good player ability is unquestionably still there.”
Orlovsky said he thinks there would be teams who believe what he believes: That Jones can still be a good quarterback in a better situation, with a better offensive line, better weapons and better scheme.
“The last two years – I know everyone sits there and says I’m making excuses for him. This is my comparison here: It’s a fascinating thing to watch (Falcons quarterback) Desmond Ridder and Mac Jones,” Orlovsky said. “Desmond Ridder is struggling, but he’s got a ton of help around him. He’s got a really good defense. The offensive line is a very good offensive line, specifically in the run game. He’s got Drake London and Kyle Pitts and Bijan (Robinson), (Tyler) Allgeier. They’re really good. And he’s got a crazy creative play-caller.
“So, you sit there and go, what does the quarterback need? Well, Desmond Ridder is in a pretty darn good place to play good football, and he’s struggling. Mac Jones is struggling, but he doesn’t have any of what Desmond Ridder does. … Every quarterback needs something around them to do something with. Desmond has it and it’s not working out. It’s really tough to gauge and evaluate Mac Jones and say he’s bad when he has that to work with.”
While acknowledging that he can’t say for sure what the Patriots would get in return for Jones, Orlovsky guessed that it might be a fourth-round pick. That would be the same thing the 49ers got from the Cowboys for Trey Lance, another 2021 first-round pick whose value had declined.