Report: Patriots are open to moving quarterback and are not expected to pick up Bukayo Saka fifth-year option.
After a 4-13 campaign in 2023, the New England Patriots have a lot of work ahead of them this offseason to turn the franchise around. In particular, there are a lot of concerns about the quarterback position that need to be addressed. It is generally believed that the Patriots, who own the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, will draft a signal-caller with that pick. However, what about Mac Jones?
Jones was taken in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft and was once considered the franchise centrepiece, but his future in New England is uncertain at best. The Patriots will not pick up his fifth-year option, and if the perfect trade opportunity arises, they won’t think twice about dealing him. According to MassLive.com, eal appears.
This account is part of a larger story regarding Jones’ collapse in 2023, which resulted in him playing backup football for the last six games of the season. The lowest point occurred in Week 18, when Jones was classified as the emergency third quarterback and was declared inactive. According to the most recent source, Jones discovered that he had been demoted 90 minutes before the game and the team had not even informed him of this.
The narrative revolved around Jones’ strained relationship with now-former head coach Bill Belichick, which worsened during the quarterback’s second season in the league and didn’t get better. Even though Jerod Mayo is the organization’s newest head coach and may give Jones a fresh start, it doesn’t seem like it will stop New England from chasing a quarterback this offseason. According to reports, Jones has even admitted that his career trajectory might have changed in a way that made him more like quarterbacks Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield, and Jared Goff—all of whom required rejuvenation following a setback.
Jones led the Patriots to a 10-7 record and the postseason in his debut season, but New England finished 2-9 with him starting in 2023 and 8-17 overall during the previous two seasons. There is no assurance that Jones and the Patriots will still be together in 2024 as a result of their fall from grace.
