Expectations were high for Mac Jones after the quarterback was selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
However, just three years later, Jones is already heading to a new team.
On Sunday, the Patriots reportedly agreed to a trade to send Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and according to MassLive’s Mark Daniels, the young quarterback “is looking forward to the next challenge.”
Source confirms that the Patriots are trading Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
I’m told “he is looking forward to the next challenge.”
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) March 10, 2024
With the Jaguars, Jones won’t be coming in as the team’s new starting signal-caller, as that role currently belongs to former No. 1 overall draft pick Trevor Lawrence.
So, the pressure on the former Patriots passer will be significantly lower than it has been for him during the first three seasons of his NFL career.
In addition to not worrying about having to be Jacksonville’s starting signal-caller, Jones now gets to work with a head coach in Doug Pederson who has a good track record of getting the most out of the quarterbacks on his roster.
One downside for Jones following the trade to the Jaguars is that his fifth-year option likely isn’t going to be picked up by Jacksonville, which will make him a free agent in 2025.
After his first season with the Patriots in 2021, it seemed like Jones might be able to develop into a solid NFL starting quarterback at the very least.
But he took some major steps backward in the last two years, and his struggles are ultimately what resulted in New England deciding to trade him to the Jaguars on Sunday.
Will Jones ever get another shot to be a full-time starting quarterback in the NFL again?
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