New England Patriots Rumors: Mac Jones trade talk is not foolish

The issue of a New England Patriots trade of Mac Jones was explored and now si.com has raised the issue of that potentiality. Is it far-fetched? It says here no.

The team’s recent release of Brian Hoyer signals changes in the position in 2023. Now, without a doubt, another quarterback or two will be brought into the squad before training camp. That could happen in the draft, free agency, or by trade.

To say that the situation is in flux would be a fair statement. While the likelihood of trading the third-year quarterback seems a bit premature, it may not be if the team feels that he’s not the long-term answer.

If Jones is actually on the trade block, a trade to the Las Vegas Raiders makes great sense. Let’s explore why and how.

New England Patriots are hamstrung at quarterback

First, let’s make one thing clear, the thought here is that Jones will NOT likely be traded. Nonetheless, it is an option that can’t be ruled out and should be evaluated on its merits.

So how would a trade of Jones impact the Patriots, especially since it would likely be accompanied by draft-related maneuvers, a favorite topic here?

The Raiders possess a piece of the puzzle that New England can no longer offer, a linkup with former offensive coordinator and now Raiders’ head coach, Josh McDaniels. Jones had a banner rookie year with McDaniels. It’s a perfect fit.

How could that work to the benefit of the New England Patriots? That’s clear, in the draft. The Raiders own the seventh pick overall in the NFL draft. The Patriots have the 14th.

Seventh is a slot where absent the very top quarterbacks, you can get the best player at a whole host of positions.

No doubt, the most important position for the team to augment this offseason is offensive tackle. They need two or three. This position is weak and with Trent Brown’s contract over after this season, it could get weaker in a hurry.

The team eschewed improving the position last offseason. It was catastrophic. They missed the playoffs by one game. The tackle position was a disaster.

The good news is that projections postulate that the best tackle in the draft, Paris Johnson Jr. may be available at seven. If he is, you take him.

He starts immediately at either tackle unless a veteran tackle is brought in as well (recommended here). In that case, he can sit for a year and be prime depth before starting most likely in 2024. If both moves are made, it’s a huge win for the Patriots.

The rest of the deal for the New England Patriots

In that deal, the Patriots would surrender Jones and their 14th pick in the draft and would likely get back that seventh overall and maybe a third from Las Vegas. They may have to sweeten the pot a bit with a fourth-rounder, but it would be worth the freight.

Shoring up the tackle position makes the job a whole lot easier for the entire team, especially if they make another move to secure a dual-threat quarterback either in free agency (hello Lamar Jackson!), by trade (Skylar Thompson, anyone?), or in the draft.

Escapability is key and they should be focused on that in the aftermath of any Mac Jones trade. Of course, if they want relatively immobile, Bailey Zappe is on board and would be first in line if no other major move is made.

Trading Jones in this scenario is a WIN-WIN-WIN situation. The New England Patriots win by shoring up their offensive line for whatever quarterback takes the helm in 2023. They also garner another top pick in the third round, a nice bargaining chip.

Jones wins because he’s reunited with McDaniels who also wins as does the Raiders. They should team up nicely in Vegas.

Meanwhile, the New England Patriots make a move for a mobile quarterback who lessens the impact on the now-greatly improved offensive line further enabling the offense to actually score some points in 2023.

All told, this trade seems to make makes sense. What do you think? Would you trade Mac Jones?