New England Patirots head coach Bill Belichick might be trying to make it work with Mac Jones after all.
For now, Mac Jones appears to be the starting quarterback for Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots.
New England replaced an ineffective Cam Newton with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Despite being the Alabama Crimson Tide starter for only a year and change, Jones had a sensational final season in Tuscaloosa. He finished runner-up to teammate DeVonta Smith for the Heisman Trophy, as the Crimson Tide would win their most recent national title under Nick Saban.
Two years later, Belichick seems to understand that maybe he has played a part in Jones having an up-and-down, but mostly frustrating two-year run at the helm of the New England offense.
Jones may run hot, but drafting Bailey Zappe a year ago and trying to force two square pegs into a round holes in having failed NFL head coaches in Joe Judge and Matt Patricia running the offense may have been bad ideas. Zappe is a talented passer, but he played in strictly an Air Raid attack in college. Still, the way he slings it could make for Jones being rather insecure inside of the building.
So maybe the third year is the charm for Jones in Foxborough? Or this will become a total disaster!
Bill Belichick might stop making things so hard for Mac Jones in New England
While Belichick is still the greatest coach of all time, things have not been the same for him since Tom Brady left in NFL free agency four years ago. Brady may have retired for a second time, but Belichick is looking to build on his legacy for as long as he wants in New England. He gets to coach with his sons and other friends he has met along the way, but the Patriots have become so boring.
Even a hot-headed playmaker like Jones doesn’t really move the needle. Regardless, it serves the Patriots to put him in the best position to succeed heading into his third year in the league. This is an especially critical season for him, as New England will have to make a tough choice on whether to extend him the fifth-year option or not. They could, but year three needs to resemble year one.
Ultimately, I appreciate Belichick respecting the fact that he has to do the best with what he has got, which is Jones. Unless Zappe blows him away during OTAs and training camp, I would fully anticipate Jones being the guy leading a so-so Patriots team out of the tunnel. The worst part now is they may have the worst quarterback in division with Aaron Rodgers now on the New York Jets.
Trying to make nice with Jones is one thing, but giving him all the support he will need is another.
