He rarely played like a first-round pick, but former New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones can revive his career with the Los Angeles Rams as a replacement for veteran Matthew Stafford.
That’s a suggestion from NESN.com’s Dakota Randall, responding to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (h/t Yahoo! Sports) about the Rams giving Stafford and his agent permission to explore a trade.
Randall believes “Los Angeles would be the perfect spot for Mac Jones, who’s a free agent, to try to resurrect his career.”
Jones making good somewhere else would certainly irk the Patriots after he failed to become the franchise quarterback the team needed after Tom Brady left town in 2020. He was a Pro Bowler as a rookie a year later, but Jones soon landed on the bench a few times and was eventually traded to his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars last offseason.
Ultimately, Jones’ struggles led the Patriots to using the third pick in the 2024 NFL draft to select Drake Maye. He’s touted as a star at football’s most important position, but Jones may still have a future in the pros if he returns to the kind of offense he ran during his debut campaign in New England.
Rams Offer Patriots-Like Fit for Mac Jones
When Jones was drafted 15th overall four years ago, he entered an ideal situation. One where he’d be propped up by a tough defense and a capable coaching staff fronted by six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick and featuring offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
The latter helped Jones thrive as a rookie with a few key concepts. Notably, Jones ran a career-high 32 RPOs and attempted 104 passes off play action, per Pro Football Reference.
Play fakes and packaged, run-pass option designs helped reduce pressure on Jones and created quick and easy reads. He took advantage of those things to throw for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns, leading the Patriots to the playoffs in the process.
It’s still the only time the Pats have played postseason football since Brady’s final campaign at Gillette Stadium in 2019. Yet, some became concerned too much success too soon went to Jones’ head.
Among them, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin told Patriots Coverage on NBCS Boston how “Making the Pro Bowl [last year] pumped his head up a lot.”
Volin was talking after backup Bailey Zappe had taken the reins during the 2022 season. Zappe was initially called upon because Jones was dealing with a sprained ankle, but Belichick benched Jones outright late during the ill-fated 2023 season.
It was the beginning of the end for Jones with the Patriots, and he couldn’t win the starting job with the Jags. Joining the Rams would be the perfect tonic for a career gone awry.
The Rams boast a young and physically imposing defense led by a deep and talented front four. A more compelling reason the Rams make sense for Jones is the offense directed by head coach Sean McVay. He’s from the Mike and Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, where McVay learned a system based on play-action passing and moving pockets.
Stafford ran 151 play-action passes and 19 RPOs in 2024, proof the Rams operate the kind of offense Jones was only briefly exposed to in New England.
That would be good for Jones, but the better news is the Patriots no longer have to worry about their own quarterback situation.
Patriots Have No Reason to Enter Any Matthew Stafford Sweepstakes
Stafford’s apparent availability will alert every QB-needy team across the league, but the Patriots won’t be on the list of potential suitors. Not when Maye produced enough during 12 starts to indicate he’s the future.
Maye averaged 6.7 yards per attempt and threw for 15 touchdowns. He also drew comparison to an All-Pro Patriots rival.
It’s all change for the Pats this offseason, with Mike Vrabel taking over as head coach and McDaniels returning to the staff. They need to overhaul the skill positions and rebuild the offensive line, but they won’t have to worry about who plays quarterback.
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