Patriots Officially End Mac Jones Era With Trade to AFC Team

After weeks of speculation and rumors, the Mac Jones era has officially ended in New England. On Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Patriots are finalizing a deal to send Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The trade can only be processed once the new league year begins on Wednesday, and Schefter adds that the two sides were discussing a sixth-round pick. 

It doesn’t come as a surprise to see the Patriots move on from Jones, especially with how the 2023 season ended for the former first-round pick. Jones struggled mightily this past season as he completed 64.9% of his passes for 2,120 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

The former Crimson Tide quarterback played a significant role in the Pats’ offensive struggles and was ultimately benched for backup quarterback Bailey Zappe after a poor showing in Week 12 against the New York Giants. Jones completed 12-of-21 passes for 89 yards and two interceptions.

The Jones’ era in New England started with promise as he led the team to 10 wins and a playoff appearance in 2021. That was Jones’ best season as a Patriot, completing 67.6 percent of his passes for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

However, after that solid showing as a rookie, things slowly went downhill for Jones and the Patriots over the last two years, which led to the organization parting ways with Bill Belichick in January.

Jones will look for a fresh start in Jacksonville, where he’ll get to backup Trevor Lawrence while working on his game with head coach Doug Pederson. Meanwhile, the Pats will likely use the No. 3 overall pick on a quarterback in next month’s NFL draft. They could also sign a veteran quarterback like Joe Flacco or Jacoby Brissett.

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