Category: Mac Jones

How close were the 49ers to drafting Mac Jones over Trey Lance?

How close were the 49ers to selecting Mac Jones in the 2021 NFL draft?

The San Francisco 49ers made a blockbuster trade to acquire quarterback Trey Lance back in April 2021.

They dealt three first-round picks in order to move up and select the former signal-caller out of North Dakota State at No. 3 overall in the NFL draft. San Francisco had reported interest in Mac Jones, who ended up being drafted by the New England Patriots, but they ultimately decided to go with Lance.

It’s a decision some wonder now if the 49ers regret.

Lance’s tenure was disappointing and short-lived in San Francisco. The quarterback recorded 797 total passing yards and five touchdowns in two seasons in the Bay Area. Lance appeared in eight total games, starting in four of them. Brock Purdy ended up taking his spot in San Francisco, which relegated him to a backup role.

Now, nearly a week has passed since Lance was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round draft pick. That has left some to question what could have been, if the 49ers went with Jones instead of Lance.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted recently that Jones was very much in the forefront of the 49ers’ minds. However, they preferred Lance to run the offense that Kyle Shanahan created.

Here’s what Breer had to say:

The initial decision on who to take at No. 3 came down, indeed, to Lance and Mac Jones. (We can argue the Niners should have considered Justin Fields, but that’s another discussion for another day.) San Francisco made the call to take Lance based in large part on what it would mean for Shanahan’s offense. By 2021, a good percentage of the league was running a form of his offense, which meant defenses were practicing against it. Thus it became important for the Niners to develop it. Jones, of course, could run Shanahan’s offense. Lance could evolve it. And that, in the end, was the biggest differentiator in the decision.

It’s difficult to make a call on the career of either quarterback to this point. Jones is looking to bounce back after a difficult offensive season last year, but he did throw for 3.801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie.

Meanwhile, Lance served as a backup during his rookie year, before being benched for Purdy in 2022.

Both quarterbacks are still young with plenty of room to grow. It’s easy to speculate on what could have been, but it’s difficult to judge what will be moving forward.

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Patriots QB Mac Jones enjoys this aspect of working with Bill O’Brien

This Mac Jones and Bill O’Brien pairing could really be something special.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has enjoyed working with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. In a recent interview, he revealed one of the best parts about working with him, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Jones struggled last year, as the offense was never able to get on the same page. That looks to change with O’Brien, who has garnered high praise from other Patriots players as well.

There are positive signs that things already may be better, as Jones played well in Saturday’s preseason game. He went 6-of-9 on the evening, throwing for 52 yards and averaging just over five yards per pass.

Aside from just the early returns on the field to this point, Jones appreciates the way O’Brien coaches. The Alabama product likes O’Brien’s authenticity, as noted by Breer.

“He’s super real,” Jones said, via Breer. “He’s a straight-up guy, not only as a coach but as a person. He’s going to let you know, Hey, you’re not doing this right. Hey, you’re doing this really well. Some coaches will tell you, but then they don’t give you a plan to fix it.

“I think the coolest part is he gives you the plan, and then from there, you got to go out and execute it. Something might pop up in OTAs where I did something wrong. He’s like, Well, do this throw instead of that throw. Next thing you know, it comes up today at practice.”

Jones and New England will be looking for a bounce-back season after missing the playoffs in 2022. They have a difficult schedule ahead with new pieces on offense, which was a trouble spot for the team last season. There is plenty of talent, especially at the tight end position with Mike Gesicki and Hunter Henry.

It’s not as if the cupboard is bare offensively.

Still, it’s important that Jones and his offensive coordinator are on the same page. That wasn’t necessarily the case at times last year, when Matt Patricia was overseeing things. So far, however, things seem different with O’Brien in charge.

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Mac Jones comments on Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott combo

Mac Jones loves the idea of an offense with Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott together.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones had high praise for teammate Ezekiel Elliott.

Elliott joined the Patriots organization on Monday with Wednesday being his first time on the practice field with the team. He comes to New England after a productive 2022 season with the Dallas Cowboys, when he recorded 231 carries for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns.

He now joins a backfield that already has a solid starter in Rhamondre Stevenson. The AFC East is full of top-end running back talent, and the addition of Elliott to the Patriots further solidifies that fact.

“Zeke is awesome so far,” said Jones, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “Already was jumping in there getting some reps, so that was pretty cool to see fresh off a plane … He seems like a great fit; him and Mondre are going to be a great 1-2 punch, and you can’t forget about the other [RBs]…”

The addition of Elliott provides New England with tremendous depth, especially when Ty Montgomery and Pierre Strong Jr. return to the lineup.

He may not be the explosive running back he once was, but he will provide New England with another proven veteran workhorse to help spark the offensive backfield.

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Patriots QB Mac Jones named as 2023 breakout candidate

Is Mac Jones on the verge of a breakout season?

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones needs to have a big season in 2023, and ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes there’s a good chance that will happen.

Jones had an up-and-down season last year, recording 2,997 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He struggled at the beginning of the season and also had to deal with injury issues. However, by the end of things, he was able to put it together and finish strong.

Barnwell had Jones as a player that should be able to break out in 2023. The situation is clearly better for Jones this season with the addition of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, along with the new weapons on the offensive side of football.

Barnwell wrote:

As Ollie Connelly wrote about at length in his newsletter, adding coordinator Bill O’Brien and a dollop of the offense both Jones and O’Brien used during their respective times at Alabama should make life easier for the third-year quarterback. The Patriots added a tough wide receiver in JuJu Smith-Schuster and a potential contested catch receiver in Mike Gesicki.

Things will be a bit challenging for Jones and the Patriots, as they have the hardest schedule in the NFL. However, the new additions and a new offensive system could help the quarterback bounce back.

It all starts on September 10, when New England takes on the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in a tough regular season opener.

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Mac Jones believes Patriots have ‘top defense’ in NFL

Mac Jones has high praise for the Patriots’ defense

Mac Jones is being challenged by the New England Patriots defense as training camp continues. When speaking with the media, the third-year quarterback said the Patriots had the “top defense in the NFL”.

“They’re the top defense in the NFL, so it’s a great way to prepare,” said Jones. “They have great players, great coaches, and Coach Belichick, obviously, it’s his system. Steve [Belichick] and Coach [Jerod] Mayo do a great job.

“So, it’s really hard to go against everyday, sometimes frustrating. But at the same time, you got to go out there and compete and have fun. And whoever you’re with out there, our job as an offense is to go out there and have the same mindset. It’s to compete and win.”

Defense was the Patriots’ calling card last season.

They ranked among the best units in the league. The unit tallied 54 sacks on the season and ranked third with 19 interceptions, which trailed only the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers.

New England will need to have another strong defensive season if they want to compete in the AFC East.

Just in their division alone, all three teams should provide a challenge as potential playoff contenders. The Patriots defense making Jones work hard in training camp can only mean good things for the regular season.

If both the offense and defense come alive, the Patriots will have a fighting chance.

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Patriots QB Mac Jones makes top 50 NFL merchandise list

Mac Jones beat out some big names to crack the top 50 merchandise sales list

The NFLPA released their top 50 NFL player merchandise sales list earlier this week, and New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones came in at No. 36 overall in the league.

Jones is sandwiched in between Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill, who checked in at No. 35, and Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs, who came in at No. 37.

This list comes on the heels of a difficult 2022 season for Jones, who struggled offensively throughout the year. However, things could be different this year with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien manning the ship.

Jones also has several new weapons to throw to, including JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki, along with rookie sixth-round draft picks Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte.

The third-year quarterback will need to have a big year if the Patriots want to contend in the AFC East. At the very least, Jones cracking the top 50 on this list is proof his popularity around the league is not fading.

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Patriots C David Andrews seeing growth in third-year QB Mac Jones

David Andrews has positive reviews of quarterback Mac Jones so far.

New England Patriots center David Andrews is seeing strides made by quarterback Mac Jones, who is set to enter a crucial third year.

Jones struggled last season, as offensive confusion and overall poor play led to a difficult season for the Patriots. He threw for 2,997 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

However, there’s the possibility for things to be different in 2023 with Bill O’Brien manning things for the offensive unit, along with the additions of wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and tight end Mike Gesicki.

Andrews has been a key player for the Patriots since the 2015 season. He’s now a veteran in an offensive unit that has undergone change over the last few years. The good news is he’s pleased with what he has seen from Jones so far.

“Seeing him grow more confident, getting older, getting comfortable in the system, getting comfortable with what we’re doing,” said Andrews, via 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Alex Barth. “He’s been here most of the summer working with guys. I think he’s got all the tools to succeed.”

Andrews’ confidence in Jones is encouraging considering what’s at stake for the team this season. The Patriots have failed to make the playoffs in two of their last three seasons.

They cannot afford to come out of the gates slow because they risk falling behind in a stacked AFC East division if they do.

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Calais Campbell called Mac Jones’ trash talk ‘kind of disrespectful’

Falcons DT Calais Campbell is not a fan of Patriots QB Mac Jones.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones may have a new enemy in Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Calais Campbell.

Campbell spoke to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein and talked about the mental gamesmanship between quarterbacks and defensive players. He admitted to taking it easier on players like Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who recently admitted to buttering up defensive players in the Netflix series “Quarterback”.

“That’s very true. He let the cat out of the bag now, though,” said Campbell. “Be nice because you don’t want to get hit. But there is definite truth to that. …Quarterbacks are smart. They know. Certain guys, you don’t want to piss off.”

Unlike Mahomes, Jones hasn’t been doing a very good job of avoiding making defensive enemies, according to Campbell, who labeled the Patriots’ quarterback as “kind of disrespectful” with the trash talk.

“I don’t even remember now [what Jones said],” Campbell said. “Just trash-talking to the highest level. But it was just, ‘You don’t trash talk me.’”

Campbell played against the Patriots last season when he was still with the Baltimore Ravens. New England gave Baltimore a fight, but they ended up losing by a 37-26 margin in the end.

Jones struggled in that game before going down awkwardly after a hit by Campbell with what initially looked like a serious injury.

Jones has been no stranger to controversy over the course of his career. Last season, he was called “dirty” by multiple players.

The third-year quarterback will be looking to put the ugly 2022 season behind him and get the Patriots back on track to being a playoff contender.

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Mac Jones comments on DeAndre Hopkins and state of Patriots WR room

Mac Jones remains confident in the Patriots’ receivers, even without DeAndre Hopkins

Mac Jones is content with the wide receiver room after the New England Patriots failed to land five-time All Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins.

Hopkins ended up going to the Tennessee Titans on a two-year, $26 million deal. That leaves the Patriots looking for somebody to step up as a No. 1 receiving option.

New England does have depth at the position. Veteran DeVante Parker should play a big role for the unit. So too should second-year wideout Tyquan Thornton

Nevertheless, it’s hard to ignore that New England still does not have a true No. 1 receiving option. Hopkins would’ve been an ideal fit. He tallied 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns, despite only playing in nine games last season.

However, what could have been isn’t on Jones’ mind. The third-year quarterback remained highly supportive of the Patriots’ receivers room when speaking to the media.

“Yeah, I think DeAndre’s a great player and I know he’s gonna do great down there,” Jones said, via NESN.com’s Dakota Randall. “For us, I think we have a great group. And that’s what we’re trying to do: mold together. I think we have great tight ends, receivers and backs. We definitely have great depth.”

A big 2023 season from Thornton and Parker, among others, may be necessary if New England wants to take the next step in 2023. Furthermore, it will be up to Jones to help elevate the players around him to find success on the football field.

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Patriots QB Mac Jones talks up JuJu Smith-Schuster’s work ethic

JuJu Smith-Schuster wasn’t at the spring practices, but he’s working hard behind the scenes, according to Mac Jones.

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New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is impressed with the work wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is doing behind the scenes in an attempt to fully integrate himself into the offense.

Smith-Schuster is coming off a 2022 season that saw him win a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs. He recorded 78 catches for 933 yards and three touchdowns, when hauling in passes from Patrick Mahomes.

An injury during the AFC Championship Game has forced the Patriots to take it easy with Smith-Schuster, who missed the spring practices. But even though the veteran wideout has been absent, Jones noted the work that’s being put in behind the scenes.

“I feel like he’s really bought into the offense. He’s always studying,” Jones said, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “He’s working through some things [but] we’re always talking about the offense, certain plays, things that he likes. I think that’s good, the conversations, that always helps just to see it the way he sees it.”

The connection between the quarterback and receiver is quickly becoming apparent.

Smith-Schuster was quick to throw his full support behind Jones upon arriving to New England. Both players being on the same page is a positive sign for a Patriots team hoping to reignite their offense.

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