Tag: Mac Jones

Latest report paints grim picture of Patriots’ QB room

Who knew things would get this bad in the Patriots’ QB room?

Things never felt right between New England Patriots quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.

The two never clicked in the way that we’ve seen in the past with Tom Brady and players like Brian Hoyer and Matt Cassel. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently reported the Patriots quarterbacks room as being toxic over the last two seasons.

But it wasn’t just a situation of teammates side-eyeing one another while working together. Things reportedly got so bad that Zappe watched tape in the receivers room instead of the quarterbacks room.

Breer wrote:

And the quarterback room he was in the last two years got toxic, to the point where Bailey Zappe, as a rookie, sometimes watched tape in the receiver room.

Jones isn’t expected to be back with the team next season, and at this point, it would also seem like a long-shot that the Patriots would move forward with Zappe as the starter.

The Patriots might be better off hitting the reboot button and using their No. 3 overall pick to draft a rookie quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft at this point. They could also bring in a veteran option to potentially compete with Zappe for the No. 2 spot.

Turning the page means letting go of the remnants of the past that failed to make the team successful.

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Expert shares what went wrong for Mac Jones

What soured the relationship between Mac Jones and the New England Patriots? One expert shares details.

Filling Tom Brady’s shoes as the quarterback of the New England Patriots was going to be a tall task for whoever the franchise tabbed as its next starting quarterback. Fresh off of an undefeated season, a national championship win, and a Heisman Trophy ceremony appearance, [autotag]Mac Jones[/autotag] was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2021 draft.

After making a Pro Bowl appearance in his rookie season, things began to trend in the wrong direction for Jones in Foxborough. Jones has been in and out of the lineup as he has had to split time with Bailey Zappe after poor performances and a divided locker room.

The Patriots parted ways with longtime head coach Bill Belichick this off-season and hired Jerod Mayo, the team’s linebacker coach. With a changing of the guard, there are no guarantees as to what will happen at the quarterback position moving forward, especially with a high-end pick in this year’s draft. However, NFL Senior Reporter Albert Breer predicts that Jones’s time as the quarterback of the Patriots has come to a close.

“It’s not that I think Jones is a lost cause. It’s that his cause in New England is lost,” writes Breer. “It’s really hard to live down your history with an NFL team, and Jones’s with the New England Patriots is not good. He was drafted 15th and hasn’t come close to living up to his slot. He was good as a rookie, and regressed badly since. He was well-liked early on, but, over time, lost support in the building. And the quarterback room he was in the last two years got toxic, to the point where Bailey Zappe, as a rookie, sometimes watched tape in the receiver room.”

If New England does decide to move on from Jones, he will likely get another opportunity with a different franchise. On a team with some talent in the receiving room, I could see Jones thriving.

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NFL insider believes Mac Jones’ cause is lost in New England

What does Mac Jones’ future in New England look like with Jerod Mayo as head coach?

There’s been speculation as to whether New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones will remain on the team for the 2024 season. NFL insider Albert Breer believes the organization will move on from the quarterback in a new report earlier this week.

Jones had a difficult season last year. He tallied 2,120 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He was benched multiple times throughout the course of the 2023 season.

He also had problems off the field with him and coach Bill Belichick having a strained relationship. Things were a bit murky in the quarterback room as well, as the communication between Jones and Bailey Zappe faltered.

Breer believes that Jones will not remain on the team, and he elaborated on his point, when asked if Patriots coach Jerod Mayo would give Jones another shot at being a starter in a column for Sports Illustrated:

It’s not that I think Jones is a lost cause. It’s that his cause in New England is lost. …It’s really hard to live down your history with an NFL team, and Jones’s with the New England Patriots is not good. He was drafted 15th and hasn’t come close to living up to his slot. He was good as a rookie, and regressed badly since. He was well-liked early on, but, over time, lost support in the building. And the quarterback room he was in the last two years got toxic, to the point where Bailey Zappe, as a rookie, sometimes watched tape in the receiver room.

That’s a lot of wounds, some self-inflicted, some not, to try and heal—and wounds that Jerod Mayo saw surface with his own eyes as a Patriots assistant. You can’t snap your fingers and make that history disappear with coaches and staff. What happens if Jones comes back and has some bumps in the offseason, in camp or in an early game? Everyone will point right back to the history. Which makes for a tough environment for Jones to try and move forward in, and potentially a tough spot for Mayo to dig his first team out of.

The Patriots undoubtedly need a playmaker in the quarterback room. They are in a good spot to do so, as they have the third overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft.

The quarterback position in this year’s draft is very top-heavy. Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne advocated for LSU star quarterback Jayden Daniels earlier in the month. Drake Maye has also been floated around as a possibility for the Patriots in mock drafts

Whatever the case may be, a fresh start for Jones may be needed, as the quarterback looks to regain his confidence. Whether or not that fresh start will come in New England remains to be seen.

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RUMOR: Patriots could deal Mac Jones before 2024 NFL draft

Perhaps Mac Jones needs a change. The New England Patriots could trade him before the 2024 NFL draft.

Former Alabama standout quarterback, national championship winner, Heisman Trophy finalist and first-round pick, Mac Jones, could soon be traded. The New England Patriots have regressed significantly since Tom Brady left. Now, Bill Belichick has walked away from the franchise and a new start is what’s likely needed.

A recent report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero states that Jones is not a part of the future plans for the new coaching staff and they have already turned their attention to acquiring a new starter on draft day.

“The Patriots sit at No. 3 [overall], and all indications are they will seriously consider taking a quarterback there,” Tom Pelissero reports. “In fact, one of the big questions when they were interviewing offensive coordinator candidates was, ‘What is your evaluation of those top quarterbacks?’ They end up hiring Alex Van Pelt, who’s gonna play a major role in developing whoever that young quarterback could be.”

It’s likely that Jones could be on the move before the 2024 NFL draft and would have to fight for a starting job no matter where he ends up. Based on recent performance, there aren’t many job openings available where the incumbent starter isn’t up to Jones’s par.

There will be a lot more information on Jones and other players possibly on the move in the coming weeks as the offseason gets into full swing.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow former Alabama players in the NFL throughout the offseason.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Report: Patriots QB Mac Jones likely to play elsewhere in 2024

Mac Jones is expected to be moved in the coming weeks

Mac Jones’ time with the New England Patriots is expected to come to an end in the coming weeks. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the former first-round draft pick out of Alabama is a trade candidate and likely to play elsewhere in 2024.

Rapoport wrote:

Even though Bill Belichick is gone, former first-round pick Mac Jones — who lost the starting role and ended up third string by the end of the 2023 season — is a trade candidate in the coming weeks and most likely will end up elsewhere for the 2024 season.

Jones being moved likely means the Patriots are honing in on taking a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels are the top-three options on the board, and the Patriots will be in position to take one of them.

Of course, they aren’t locked into that decision regardless of what happens with Jones. They still have the option of moving forward with Bailey Zappe as a starter or signing a veteran option at quarterback in the offseason.

After a rough 2022 season, Jones fell deeper into the abyss in 2023 with 2,120 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. By the end of the season, he had fallen behind Zappe and backup Nathan Rourke on the depth chart. And to think, Jones was a Pro Bowler in his rookie season.

It’s an unexpected ending for one of the more promising quarterback starts in recent memory.

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Former Alabama OC Bill O’Brien accepts job as Boston College head coach

Former Alabama and Ohio State OC Bill O’Brien accepts Boston College HC job

On January 19th, [autotag]Bill O’Brien[/autotag] was unveiled as the offensive coordinator for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Just three weeks later, and O’Brien is on the move again as he will be taking over the Boston College head coaching job. Former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley made the shocking decision to step away last week in favor of a defensive coordinator position with the Green Bay Packers.

The former Alabama offensive coordinator spent the 2023 season with [autotag]Mac Jones[/autotag] and the New England Patriots, but with Bill Belichick being let go the Patriots decided to clean house. O’Brien was a big factor in the Buckeyes landing QB [autotag]Julian Sayin[/autotag] from Alabama, so you have to wonder what this might mean for Sayin’s future.

Ohio State has already replaced O’Brien as they landed UCLA head coach Chip Kelly today.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

WR Jakobi Meyers criticizes Patriots for handling of Mac Jones

Jakobi Meyers is coming to the defense of his former quarterback, Mac Jones.

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers was not afraid to call out his former organization for not putting quarterback Mac Jones in a good position to succeed.

Meyers was taken by New England as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2019. He was around for the end of the Tom Brady era, one year with Cam Newton and two years with Jones, before signing a free-agent deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023.

He recorded 71 catches for 807 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns with the Raiders. His best NFL season came with Jones at quarterback in 2021, when he hauled in 83 receptions for 866 yards.

Meyers wasn’t afraid to call out his former team for not putting the right talent around their franchise quarterback.

“Honestly, man, I really don’t like it,” Meyers told NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry, as transcribed by Boston.com’s Conor Ryan. “And this isn’t a knock on Zap (Bailey Zappe), because Zap is a dog too. I like my boy, I’m happy he’s doing well too. But man, how that went down with Mac, I kind of watched it all unfold the last couple of years and I feel like you could’ve seen it a couple years ago and tell that it would end up bad.

“I don’t like singling people out, but I think they had to meet him a little bit more. ‘Cause I know he’s in the building working. I can’t name too many people working harder than him. I hate to see it for him, I really do.”

Meyers’ points aren’t coming out of thin air.

The lack of quality offensive talent is something many have noticed during Jones’ tenure in New England. However, the good news is the Patriots have an opportunity to turn things around with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft and a bunch of cash to spend in free agency.

Tough decisions lie ahead, but the right choices could position New England better for the future.

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Kendrick Bourne on Mac Jones, void left by Devin McCourty’s departure and more

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne spoke about Mac Jones’ tough season in New England, the void left by Devin McCourty and more

On a Radio Row jam-packed with legendary NFL players, both past and present, Kendrick Bourne also garnered some of the spotlight with candid and insightful comments about the Patriots, the team he has competed for since 2021

The 28-year-old, who also played four seasons with the 49ers, sat down with USA TODAY’s Christian D’Andrea to speak about all things New England Patriots.  

Bourne, a pending free agent who is currently rehabbing and progressing “ahead of schedule,” agreed with D’Andrea when asked if Mac Jones was “done dirty.” 

“I think it was just more the environment for him and not gelling with the OC or the head coach,” said Bourne. 

Still, Bourne thinks Jones will remain a Patriot – maybe as a backup if New England drafts a QB, or even as a starter.

“I think he’s too valuable (to lose),” said Bourne. 

Bourne made sure to leave no doubt that he remains a member of “Team Mac, for sure.”  

Within their conversation, the receiver who has 21 career receiving TDs, also spoke about the huge void left by the departure of Devin McCourty, where he sees Bill Belichick in 2025, and his thoughts on new Pats coach Jerod Mayo, who he anticipates will be a players coach.  

Check out the full interview at the top of the page.

All 32 NFL QBs (including Panthers’ Bryce Young) ranked by passer rating for the 2023 regular season

32 starting QBs ranked by their 2023 passer ratings

Well, let’s just look back at this like a “Started from the bottom, now we here” meme by next year, shall we?

Here are all 32 NFL quarterbacks, including Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers, ranked by passer rating from the 2023 season:

4 scenarios could make Patriots pass on drafting QB with No. 3 pick

Is there any scenario where the Patriots would actually pass on drafting a QB? Patriots Wire’s Cam Garrity explores four possibilities.

After a 4-13 finish to the 2023 season, the New England Patriots are selecting third overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

Most are expecting them to take a quarterback with the pick, but they could just as easily go in an entirely different direction. There’s no sugar-coating the fact that they are not a good football team. The defense was in the top-10 in the NFL, but it’s an offensive-centric league now.

With an offense that has been near the bottom in the last few seasons, they need a hard reset.

The Patriots recently named Alex Van Pelt as their offensive coordinator. Van Pelt has virtually a blank canvas to come in and shape his offense. With no roster commitments in terms of draft capital used in recent years, or bad contracts, the Patriots could theoretically wipe the slate clean.

I do not think that will be the case, but the option will be there for them do so if they see fit. Let’s take a look at some scenarios that could keep the Patriots from taking a quarterback with the No.3 pick.