New England Patriots QB Mac Jones entered the season with more doubts than confidence. His second year in the league wasn’t as impressive as his first, and his alleged feud with HC Bill Belichick made people think that he would be on a short leash for his third campaign.
Thus far, he hasn’t done much to keep his starting spot. He has yet to throw a single touchdown pass in three October games, all while getting picked off five times. Of course, his offensive line and receiving corps haven’t helped him the slightest, so he’s not entirely to blame, but the Patriots can’t afford to wait and develop him; they want to win now.
Through six weeks, the Alabama product has thrown for 1,208 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He’s completed a career-worst 64% of his passes, all while posting career-lows in passer rating (74.4), yards per attempt (6.0), touchdown percentage (2.5%), and interception percentage (3.5%).
SURVEY Should the Patriots move on from Mac Jones?
Should the Patriots move on from Mac Jones?
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So, with the Patriots benching him twice in the past three seasons, plus all the talk about Robert Kraft potentially moving on from both him and Belichick in the offseason, we take a look at three potential replacements, both via trade or the NFL Draft. Needless to say, this would only happen if the Patriots fail to come back from this 1-5 start to the NFL season.
Potential Replacements For Mac Jones
Kirk Cousins
The Minnesota Vikings could’ve looked to move on from Kirk Cousins this season, especially after such a slow start to the campaign. But Cousins has a no-trade clause in his contract, and reports state that he has no intention to waive it whatsoever.
But with him becoming a free agent and the Vikings looking to turn to a younger option for their future, the Patriots could look for him to be a stopgap while they find a permanent replacement.
Cousins has struggled in primetime and has earned a bad rap for the big money he’s made throughout the course of his career. But he’s by no means a bad quarterback, and he would be their best QB since Tom Brady. He boasts a strong arm and has made his wideouts better.
Caleb Williams
USC star Caleb Williams is expected to be the consensus No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Patriots are currently tied for the worst record, but due to tiebreakers, they would still have to trade up to try and get him. His skills as a dual-threat QB make him worth the risk, though.
Williams has a Patrick Mahomes-type of game, and he’s expected to be the next big thing in the league. He’s also threatened to go back to school if he doesn’t like the team in a position to get him with the No. 1 pick, so he could be excited about having the chance to play for a winning organization with high standards like the Patriots.
Needless to say, they would love to have the chance to get a clean slate with the most exciting QB prospect we’ve seen in years. However, there are so many intangibles in place, and the Pats might not be able to pull off a trade to get him.
Kyler Murray
The Arizona Cardinals will reportedly continue to stick with Kyler Murray instead of tanking for Caleb Williams. But with all the reports about some players’ lack of trust in Murray as a leader, his ‘homework clause’ in his contract, and all the back and forths he’s had with the organization, it’s hard to believe them.
Murray will miss most of this season — if not all of it — nursing a major injury. The Cardinals are projected to finish the campaign with the worst record and get the No. 1 pick, and it would take a massive offer for them to consider trading it.
Murray’s dual-threat skill set is enticing and he’s still under contract for years to come. He’s a former first-overall with obvious upside, and perhaps all he needs to finally be at his best is some structure and a change of scenery.