The New England Patriots have unofficially placed Mac Jones on the trade block.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Friday that New England is open to trading Jones this offseason. He added that “teams have been calling them and doing work on the former starter.”
Jones struggled this past season, throwing for 2,120 yards with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
If the Patriots trade Jones this offseason, there are three particular landing spots that make a lot of sense for him.
Las Vegas Raiders
There isn’t a ton of talent in their quarterback room at the moment, so taking a chance on Mac Jones makes sense for the Las Vegas Raiders. Besides, are they really going to go into the 2024 season with Aidan O’Connell as their starter?
Jones has struggled the past two seasons, no one can deny that. However, there’s a slight chance a new coaching staff can revitalize his career.
Denver Broncos
When Sean Payton was the head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 2021, he raved about Mac Jones. In fact, he said the team had a really positive draft grade on the Alabama product.
“He was someone that we were really high on,” Payton said, via NBC Sports. “I think he processes information fast. At Alabama if you watch closely his tape, the ball comes out, decisions are made fast. I think he sees the field horizontally as well as vertically well. He has the arm to make the throws that you want.”
If the Broncos can’t trade up for one of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft, Payton could persuade the front office to make a deal for Jones. It’s not like we haven’t seen him take on reclamation projects in the past.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings will be in a tough spot at quarterback if they lose Kirk Cousins in free agency. Since they own the 11th pick in the draft, there’s no guarantee they can land an intriguing signal-caller like Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy. This is where Mac Jones comes into play.
Jones could have a bounce-back year in Minnesota, especially since the Vikings have an offensive-minded coach in Kevin O’Connell and a plethora of weapons in the passing game.
If Jones can’t have success with Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Justin Jefferson, we can officially label him a bust.