Patriots Veteran Trolls Mac Jones After Wednesday’s Intense Practice

Heading into his third NFL season, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones still has plenty of room for improvement. He needs to become a better passer (especially on deep throws), cut down on his mistakes, and do a better job of regulating his emotions on the field.

He also needs to become a better trash-talker, according to his teammates.

Mac Jones Patriots Preseason

A week after opening training camp, the preseason is starting to heat up for New England. According to team reporter Andrew Callahan, Wednesday’s session was extra spirited in team periods and 1-on-1 drills. The Patriots seem to be taking their preparation extra seriously this year after a disappointing 8-9 campaign last year.

Things got a little chippy on Wednesday as well with players trading smack talk. This is an area where Jones still needs improvement, however, according to linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.

“He’s working on it,” was Bentley’s reply when asked about Jones’ trash-talking skills.

We know Jones plays with swagger, but that’s not exactly a glowing review of how he’s translating that swagger and confidence into verbal barbs. But at least we know Jones isn’t going to be complacent when it comes to that weakness in his game.

Jones is still only 24 and this is just his third NFL training camp, so he’s still getting the hang of it. He’s also getting used to new teammates this year like JuJu Smith-Schuster, so it will take some time to build camaraderie.

That said, it’s encouraging to hear that Jones seems to be getting more comfortable with the Patriots. Friendly trash talk is a good sign that players are bonding, which is exactly what the team needs after a dysfunctional 2022.

It’s also good to see Jones getting involved with the smack talk. He’s the leader of the offense, but he also shouldn’t be distant or out of touch. At the end of the day, he needs to fit in and be one of the guys if he wants to succeed.

And if Jones succeeds, so will the Patriots. If he and his teammates keep pushing each other, perhaps they will defy expectations and potentially even win the AFC East.

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