6 Patriots on the Chopping Block After Alex Van Pelt Hiring

1. Mac Jones, Quarterback

At one point, Mac Jones looked to be the next franchise quarterback in New England but things fell apart in a hurry. A first-round pick in 2021, Jones led the team to a 10-7 record and while they were bounced from the playoffs in Round 1, they were still thrilled with the progress made following a losing campaign the year prior.

For Jones, he wasn't elite but he got the job done. He completed 67.6 percent of his attempts and had 3,801 yards with 22 touchdowns. He did throw 13 picks but for a rookie, that's not terrible. In the end, what mattered was he gave his team a chance to win.

Then in year two, he started to struggle. New England went 6-8 with him at the helm and wound up with a losing season overall. Jones finished with 14 touchdowns and 11 picks which was discouraging but no one was prepared for the fall in 2023.

Jones wound up getting benched following a 2-9 record and there were reports he and Belichick wouldn't speak to one another. The third-year quarterback seemed to have lost his confidence and had more picks (12) than touchdowns (10) and was abysmal in the red zone.

Perhaps a breath of fresh air is what he needs but it's not likely to happen in New England. There are already reports the team has no plans to pick up the fifth-year option in his deal and if he can't prove that his downfall hasn't caused issues within the locker room, Van Pelt might not have any use for him at all this year.

More Patriots coverage