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Jerod Mayo comments on Mac Jones’ impressive preseason with Jaguars
"I wish him nothing but the best — unless he’s playing the Patriots.”
Mac Jones seems to be settling in well with his new team in the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The former Patriots QB put together a standout performance for his hometown team over the weekend, completing 16-of-23 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’s just the preseason, but ESPN’s Michael DiRocco notes that Jones leads the NFL in passer rating (120.7) and is third in passing yards (308) and completion percentage (73.5%) so far over these last two weeks.
Jones, who is fighting for Jacksonville’s backup QB spot behind Trevor Lawrence on the depth chart, earned the start for Jacksonville in the team’s latest preseason game — and has not looked like the same QB who struggled in New England’s broken offense during the 2023 season.
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While Jones’ miserable final season in Foxborough saw the former first-round pick turn the ball over at critical junctures and routinely get smashed into the turf, the early returns for the 25-year-old signal-caller with the Jaguars have resembled the promising rookie who earned Pro Bowl honors with New England in 2021.
Even though Jerod Mayo’s early tenure as Patriots head coach has seen him be far more open in his chats with the media, Mayo didn’t expand too much on Monday when asked about his opinion of Jones’ encouraging play so far in Jacksonville.
“Look, I wish nothing but the best for Mac,” Mayo said Monday during an appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show”. “He’s having a good preseason and I’m happy for him. I always talk about (how) these are long-term relationships, you guys have heard me say that. I wish him nothing but the best — unless he’s playing the Patriots.”
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While Jones has seemingly made strides in his brief time with the Jaguars so far, the case can certainly be made that a fresh start was beneficial for both Jones and the Patriots in 2024.
The Patriots, who traded Jones to the Jaguars for a 2024 sixth-round pick in March, needed to clear space their QB room with a blue-chip prospect eventually on the way in Drake Maye.
And even though Jones showcased plenty of poise as a rookie in New England, another season spent behind this current Patriots offensive line likely would have led to more misery for him this fall.
While New England will forge ahead with a potential franchise fixture in Maye on the roster, Jones seems to be in a good spot in Jacksonville.
“He’s just bubbly,” Lawrence told DiRocco of Jones. “That’s probably the best word to describe him. Bubbly. Loves football, loves being out there. The guys respond great to him, but he also has great command. He’s not just a jokester. He’s serious and takes care of his business. Really smart player and I’ve been impressed with how he’s handled everything.”
The Patriots will take on Jones and the Jaguars in London on Oct. 20.
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