New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones might not be a starting quarterback for much longer.
After Patriots coach Bill Belichick said the position would be evaluated going forward rather than name Jones the starter outright, Boston Herald columnist Andrew Callahan reported that the 2021 first-round pick is beginning to lose the New England locker room’s support.
“One team source estimated that at least 80% of the Patriots’ locker room is out on Jones,” Callahan wrote in his column. “Another said the ‘vast majority’ of players are done with him. Both said the lack of belief spreads to both sides of the ball, with a shared sense that Jones’ worst mistakes negate the best efforts of his teammates.”
If true, that would mean that the odds of Jones returning to the New England lineup are even lesser than already expected. Our Christian D’Andrea speculated that Jones was squarely on the hot seat for his job, and it appears that plenty of Patriots players would agree.
Either Bailey Zappe or Will Grier would take over at quarterback for New England, with Zappe the most likely candidate given his starting experience.
Jones had a promising rookie season with Josh McDaniels as his offensive coordinator before the wheels came off his career in 2022. It appears now that his time in New England is nigh, and it’s very possible the former Alabama starter could be playing elsewhere in 2024.
