The struggles at the quarterback position for the New England Patriots were evident throughout the 2023 season, with former first-round pick Mac Jones enduring a particularly challenging campaign. Despite being the starter at the outset, Jones faced a tumultuous season that saw him benched at halftime and eventually relegated to the emergency quarterback role behind backup Bailey Zappe and even Nathan Rourke, who lacked NFL experience.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer has revealed new details that paint a toxic and unbearable Patriots QB room. “The quarterback room he (Jones) was in the last two years got toxic, to the point where Bailey Zappe, as a rookie, sometimes watched tape in the receiver room,” wrote Breer in a mailbag article on February 14th. Breer was responding to a question asking if Jones would have a chance to earn his starting job back with the new coaching staff.
Jones Has Regressed Following a Great Rookie Campaign
Jones, who had shown promise as a Pro Bowl selection in his rookie year, faltered in his sophomore season, culminating in a disappointing performance marked by a lack of consistency. His completion rate was 64.9 percent, with 2,120 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Under his leadership, the Patriots managed only two wins in nine starts, bringing their record to 8-17 with Jones as the starter over the past two seasons.
“It’s really hard to live down your history with an NFL team, and Jones’s with the New England Patriots is not good,” Breer wrote in the article. “He was drafted 15th and hasn’t come close to living up to his slot. He was good as a rookie, and regressed badly since.”
When it comes down to it, Breer doesn’t see a path for another shot for Jones to win his job back. “That’s a lot of wounds,” Breer stressed. “Some self-inflicted, some not, to try and heal, and wounds that Jerod Mayo saw surface with his own eyes as a Patriots assistant. You can’t snap your fingers and make that history disappear with coaches and staff. ”
Breer brings up a great question if the Patriots do bring Jones back. “What if the old, inconsistent Mac Jones is all that we see? Then what do the Patriots do? What happens if Jones comes back and has some bumps in the offseason, in camp, or in an early game?” Breer asked. “Everyone will point right back to the history. Which makes for a tough environment for Jones to try and move forward in, and potentially a tough spot for Mayo to dig his first team out of.”
“It’s not that I think Jones is a lost cause. It’s that his cause in New England is lost”, Breer closed with.
What’s Next For Jones, Zappe?
While it seems evident that most people don’t expect Jones to be around in 2024, where are his possible landing spots? Recent reports suggest that the Broncos and their head coach, Sean Peyton, may be interested in Jones as they prepare to move on from Russell Wilson.
Breer also suggested a potential landing spot and one that would most likely be a positive for Jones.
“I think the ideal for Jones is that he lands somewhere like San Francisco as a backup, gets a year to learn, play if there’s an injury, and rebuild his name and reputation in the league,” Breer wrote. “I actually really have enjoyed my interactions with him personally, and I think there’s a good quarterback—like a Chad Pennington type—in there somewhere. Someone can probably get that out of him. I don’t think it can be the Patriots.”
Meanwhile, Zappe’s stint as the starter yielded mixed results, with the Patriots posting a 2-4 record under his leadership. Zappe threw for 1,272 yards, six touchdowns, and nine interceptions, completing 59.9 percent of his passes. The dynamics between Jones and Zappe behind the scenes were reportedly strained, as evidenced by Zappe’s decision to relocate while studying film in 2022.
With the coaching changes ushered in by Jerod Mayo taking over as head coach and Alex Van Pelt assuming the offensive coordinator role, uncertainties loom regarding the future of both Jones and Zappe. Neither quarterback demonstrated enough consistency or performance to instill confidence moving forward, leaving the Patriots with lingering questions about the quarterback position heading into the next season.
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