New England Patriots: Why Mac Jones won’t start this season

The New England Patriots selected Mac Jones with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 draft, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll see the playing field this season.

Since 2008, only 3 of 39 quarterbacks drafted in the first round served a true redshirt year. Meaning, they didn’t start a game the season they were taken (Mahomes started the last game of 2017, as the Chiefs had already locked up a playoff spot, but he is counted anyway).

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The main reason for this – most 1st round QB’s go to bad teams, so they get thrown in there eventually. That’s not the case in New England.

Cam Newton, according to Bill Belichick, is this team’s starting quarterback. Despite testing positive for COVID-19, and playing in an offense with questionable weapons, Cam led the Patriots to a 7-8 record. Before getting sick, Newton showed flashes on his 2015 MVP-self.

Over the team’s first 3 games, he threw for 714 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, and had a completion % of just over 69%. On top of that, he rushed for 149 yards on 35 carries, and 4 TDs. The Patriots finished that stretch 2-1 and were less than a yard away from going 3-0 (Cam was stopped on the goal-line with no time remaining in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks).

After returning in Week 6, Cam wasn’t the same player. In Weeks 6-17 Newton threw 8 INTs, just 5 TDs (3 of which came in Week 17), and had 6 games with less than 120 yards passing. He was benched on multiple occasions and had Patriot nation wondering if he should be the starting quarterback over 2nd year backup, Jarrett Stidham.

It’s hard for me to put all the blame on Cam when it comes to the Patriots’ offensive struggles for the majority of last season. Weapons wise he was working with very little.

New England didn’t have a reliable TE, his WR core was made up of players many have never heard of, and his No. 1, Julian Edelman, missed most of the year due to injury.

Let’s just say that won’t be the case in 2021. Belichick has gone out and spent more than he ever has, and this year’s offense is ready to put on a show.

Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith headline the off-season acquisitions, with wideouts Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor also making the move to New England. Although the Pats will miss Edelman, who recently retired due to a knee injury, Jakobi Meyers showed last season (59 catches for 729 yards) that he is more than capable of holding his own.

With all these new weapons in place, all the pressure is on Newton. He enters the season healthy, will go through a full offseason, and has a 1st round draft pick ready to step in if he can’t get this team where it needs to go. There will no longer be a laundry list of excuses for the 11-year vet like he had the last go-around.

So the answer to the question of whether or not we see Jones this season lies with No.1.

Why Mac Jones likely won’t start for the New England Patriots

Even if Jones performs in camp, learns the offense, and impresses from Day 1, Bill is going to ride with Newton if he’s playing well. They’re not going to start a rookie quarterback if they don’t have to.

Sure, if Cam throws 6 picks through the first 4 or 5 games of the year and they’re losing because of it, they’ll have to consider a change. But with the revamped offense, and more time in the system, I expect Cam’s play to resemble early 2020 instead of Weeks 6-17 2020.

And to be completely honest, would I love to see Mac go in and win the starting job? Sure. But if Cam takes control of this team, leads them to a strong record through 6 games, and creates an opportunity to win the division – I’m not going to care who the starting quarterback is.

Last year sucked. The team, at times, was unwatchable. Remember the 49ers game? The Rams? I don’t want to go through that again.  So if Cam can bounce back and throw the ball as he did versus Seattle in Week 2 on a consistent basis, while also creating plays with his legs, I’ll be his biggest fan.

Jones is the future of the New England Patriots, but that doesn’t mean it starts in 2021.