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What could a Mac Jones trade give the Patriots? An NFL exec explains
"I definitely think he’ll have a market."
All signs point to Mac Jones playing elsewhere in 2024.
But even if the Patriots don’t plan on exercising the 25-year-old quarterback’s fifth-year option, Jones will not officially hit free agency until after the 2024 season wraps.
Jones could remain on the sidelines in a backup role in 2024, especially if the Patriots add another quarterback via free agency or the draft. But a clean slate for all parties might be the best option moving forward.
So what could the Patriots realistically gain from dealing away Jones?
MassLive’s Karen Guregian spoke with an NFL executive on the subject this week.
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“I could see a team, even if they saw him as a very good backup, trading a fifth-round pick for him,” the executive told Guregian. “Maybe they could get a fourth-rounder, but it would depend on the time of year, and the team’s situation.”
Even though Jones is just two years removed from a Pro Bowl appearance as a rookie, his regression in 2022 and 2023 severely hampered his value.
Jones was benched after Week 12 last season, with New England rolling with Bailey Zappe as the team’s QB1 after Jones tossed 10 touchdowns and was knocked for 12 interceptions over 11 games.
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A fifth-round selection is a lower return than the 49ers received for trading Trey Lance to the Cowboys in August. Even though Lance has only started four NFL games from 2021-22, San Francisco did manage to get a fourth-round pick in return for the signal-caller.
“Trey Lance never had a season like Mac had,” the executive explained. “But he also had a couple of years of control on his contract which is a big deal, making a trade.”
An extra fifth-round selection may not be a sizable return for a Patriots team in desperate need of top draft capital. Still, the executive told Guregian that a split between New England and Jones still stands as the best path moving forward.
“I definitely think he’ll have a market. It seems like it’s been a rough go for him the past two years,” the executive told Guregian. “Mayo’s a new coach and everything. But it just seems like holding onto him might cause more issues. That’s not how you want to start your coaching career, having a disgruntled player, especially at that position.
“It’s not what you want, especially when you’re trying to establish a new way of doing things, a new culture there.”
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