Why would the New England Patriots trade quarterback Mac Jones to Jacksonville Jaguars for a 6th-round pick?
On the surface, the difference in Draft rank seems to paint this trade as a dud, but on closer inspection both the Pats and the Jaguars come out as winners.
While there are likely to be many opposing views on the move, it is now clear that things did not work out in New England for the signal caller. With a new lease on life coming and back home to boot, one has to imagine that this is a deal that will work out well for everybody involved.
Patriots trade Mac Jones to Jaguars
If you missed it, the New England Patriots have agreed to trade quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a sixth-round pick according to reports. With that, the Pats are moving on from their veteran signal-caller, while Jones gets to play for his hometown team. To be clear, the trade will not be finalized until the new league starts on Wednesday, March 13th, however, assuming Jones passes his physical, the understanding is that the deal is done.
What’s interesting here is that Jones, the 15th overall pick in the 2021 draft is being moved on for a player from the sixth round of the coming Draft. Indeed, it was Jones who led the Patriots to their only post-Tom Brady playoff appearance in that first season and was even named to the Pro Bowl after its completion. On the other hand, one can’t deny the manner in which the Pats declined after that, with Jones eventually getting benched in the second half of the 2023 season after registering a 2-9 record as a starter. This is to say that with other changes afoot in New England, such as Bill Belichick’s departure, it stands to reason that the franchise is continuing with its house cleaning. Jones will leave New England with a record of 18-25 as a starter including the playoffs. Where his personal stats are concerned, he posted 46 touchdowns, 36 picks, and a 66.1% completion rate.
OK, so what happens to Mac Jones now?
As per reports, Jones is now set to become Trevor Lawrence’s backup down south. As mentioned before the Patriots get a sixth-round pick in exchange. Now, while that may seem like a deal that doesn’t make sense, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, the Patriots didn’t have many options where trading Jones is concerned. With that in mind, a pick from the latter rounds of the NFL Draft isn’t such a bad thing. Ultimately, the Pats got something for a player who was on his way out regardless i.e., that’s better than releasing him.
We also have to consider that the move all but confirms the idea that New England will be using its No. 3 overall pick on a quarterback when April’s Draft rolls around. We’ve already seen links to LSU’s Jayden Daniels, so we’ve got to imagine something is cooking. Yet, we’ve got to admit that trading a former top-20 pick from the first round for one from the sixth, does not look good. This also marks the second quarterback that the Pats have tried since Tom Brady left the team.
As for the Jaguars, what can we say? On one side, it’s clear that Lawrence is a very capable quarterback. On the other, when considering the amount of injuries that he sustained in the last season alone, surely having an equally capable backup is a good thing. Even better when you think about how little the Jaguars had to relinquish in exchange for Jones. Ultimately, this is a trade that can be considered equally beneficial for all who were involved. Yet, one has to wonder whether Jones will respond to a new opportunity in a positive way. We know he can play ball, but can he do so once again?