It might be time to pump the brakes on the Mac Jones trade talk.
The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan reported late Tuesday night that there is skepticism around the league, including within the New England Patriots organization itself, that the team would ship their quarterback off in a trade at this point.
“Checking with league sources today, I found no belief the Patriots will trade Mac Jones,” Callahan said in a social media post. “One team source called the ‘shopped’ report nonsense. It struck others around the league as likely old news overstated. Jones was in the building today and has been regularly, per sources.”
Checking with league sources today, I found no belief the #Patriots will trade Mac Jones. One team source called the “shopped” report nonsense. It struck others around the league as likely old news overstated. Jones was in the building today and has been regularly, per sources.
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) April 5, 2023
It wouldn’t make much sense for the Patriots to actually trade Jones unless they had a legitimate backup plan in place.
That decision would also come at a time when the AFC East division is as strong as it’s ever been with legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers possibly joining the fray with the New York Jets. This isn’t the best time to be handing the reins over to second-year quarterback Bailey Zappe.
Anything outside of moving up the draft board and taking a quarterback or pulling off a blockbuster trade for Lamar Jackson would be disappointing.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported on Tuesday that the Patriots had shopped Jones to at least four different teams. There is surely tension in the air after Jones reportedly went behind Belichick’s back to seek outside help from college coaches at Alabama.
But the Patriots have bigger fish to fry, and moving on from Jones could cause more harm than good for an offense finally on the mend.
