The former first-round draft pick is expected to be traded this offseason.
After a disappointing 2023 season from Mac Jones, the New England Patriots have found themselves firmly back in the quarterback market this offseason. With that, the future of their former first-round pick is in question.
The expectation is Jones will be traded this offseason as New England upgrades their QB room. Reports around the league are that Jones will likely fetch a fifth-round pick, but what teams may be the most interested in a potential deal?
Here are six trade candidates for the Patriots quarterback.
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota has a decision to make with quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason, while they could also make an aggressive move to add a quarterback (J.J. McCarthy?) with their first-round selection (No. 11). If they do not add a rookie, perhaps Minnesota opts for the 25-year old Jones to pair with the veteran Cousins.
Minnesota is strapped with plenty of Day Three draft capital, that includes two fourth-, two fifth-, two sixth-, and one seventh-round draft selection.
San Francisco 49ers
Jones getting to play in a Shanahan/McVay-esque system may be the best thing for his skillset, so how about the coach himself — who was a fan of Jones prior to the 2021 NFL Draft before San Francisco ultimately selected Trey Lance No. 3 overall. With Shanahan’s system and the talent the Niners’ offense consists of, it could be a prime spot for Jones to play point guard.
However, acquiring Jones could create a weird dynamic with current starter Brock Purdy — who will be eligible for an extension following next season. If they don’t view Jones serving as the primary backup as an issue, San Francisco has eight Day Three picks, including three total compensatory selections in the fifth- and sixth-round.
Los Angeles Rams
Similarly to Shanahan, McVay is known for his scheme which helped led Jared Goff to a Super Bowl. Perhaps he could have similar success with Jones whenever the 36-year old Matthew Stafford calls it quits. The Rams have two fifth-round picks and a whopping four sixth-round selections in order to potentially swing a deal for Jones.
Atlanta Falcons
After a year of Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke, the Falcons seem set to swing big in free agency or the NFL Draft at the QB position. But if they strike out, perhaps they take a chance on Jones.
Atlanta’s new offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson, comes from the McVay tree and Jones would be surrounded by plenty of talent in Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London. The downside for Atlanta is they only have six total picks in this year’s draft — one each in rounds four through six.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos are set to be strapped with the largest dead cap hit in NFL history ($85 million) as they plan on releasing Russell Wilson. And with the 12th pick in the draft, they may be out of range to move up for one of the top signal callers.
That could leave Sean Payton and Co. on the hunt for a cheap, young bridge option, such as Jones. Denver has an extra fifth-round pick this year that could come into play negotiations.
Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith is set to return to Seattle this year, but the 34-year old has no guaranteed money remaining on his contract following the season. Perhaps general manager John Schneider — who worked with Eliot Wolf in Green Bay — looks to add a younger backup in Jones this offseason.
If Seattle is interested, however, they currently only have one pick per round on Day Three to negotiate with.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login