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Mac Jones debacle serves as cautionary tale for new Patriots regime originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Mac Jones Era in New England is over, with the Patriots reportedly set to trade him to Jacksonville in exchange for a sixth-round pick when the new league year begins.
Forgettable as this three-year stretch in Patriots history has been, it’s imperative that the new Patriots regime not forget how the team ran aground over the course of the last two years.
The lesson? Handle the situation around the next young quarterback with care.
Inevitable outcome
Dealing away Jones seemed inevitable to league sources over the last few weeks. While Jones still had fans in the building because of his work ethic and the promise he showed as the No. 15 overall pick in 2021, the consensus was that even if he was salvageable, he likely wasn’t salvageable in New England.
Jones had lost confidence in himself, struggled in his de facto leadership role, and after a series of disastrous starts last season had lost the confidence of many in the Patriots locker room.
It was a question of when, not if, Jones would be moved. And with the legal tampering period set to begin Monday at 12 p.m. ET, it made sense for personnel chief Eliot Wolf and head coach Jerod Mayo to part with Jones ahead of the free-agent rush. Had they waited, perhaps until draft weekend, there was a chance that most backup quarterback jobs around the league would be filled, leaving few (if any) suitors for Jones’ services.
Jones has one year left on his rookie deal and will be in competition with CJ Beathard for a backup role behind entrenched starter Trevor Lawrence, who was taken No. 1 overall in the same draft class as Jones three years ago.
There were some close to Jones who earlier this offseason understood he was likely headed elsewhere to be a backup — a remarkable two-year fall from grace in Foxboro.
Jones’ situation is the definition of a cautionary tale for Wolf, Mayo and the rest of New England’s brass….
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/mac-jones-debacle-serves-cautionary-180532477.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-03-10 18:05:32
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