Mac Jones wasn't blindsided by the trade that sent him from the New England Patriots to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Actually, Jones saw it coming.
Jones recently shared that he and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways prior to the team sending him to the Jaguars in exchange for a sixth-round pick. The trade ended his three-year run with the Patriots, a run that had its fair share of ups and downs.
"We kind of just decided the mutual parting of ways was the best decision for both of us," Jones said from Jacksonville this week, via the Boston Herald. "For me, it was just about moving on and getting back home, and I couldn't be more excited. And for them, it's about moving forward and turning the page. So really, that's what we decided, and I think it's a great decision."
While four teams were reportedly in the running, the Jaguars were the only team that gave the Patriots an offer for the former top-15 draft pick, per CBS Sports Lead NFL Insider Jonathan Jones.
The 15th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Jones was named to the Pro Bowl that season after helping lead the Patriots to their lone playoff appearance in the post-Tom Brady era. Jones and the Patriots regressed the next two years, however, with Jones getting benched during the second half of the 2023 season after going 2-9 as the team's starter.
Jones left New England with an 18-25 starting record (including the playoffs), 46 touchdowns, 36 picks and a 66.1% completion percentage. He'll now look to restart his career as Trevor Lawrence's backup in Jacksonville.
Trading Jones further confirms the Patriots' plans to select a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in April's draft. New England has been linked to LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, CBS Sports' No. 2 quarterback prospect behind USC's Caleb Williams.
By acquiring Jones, the Jaguars have upgraded their backup quarterback position. And they did so without having to give up too much. It helps that Jones is a Jacksonville native who wants to be there. And while he would prefer to be a starter, it appears that Jones will embrace his new role with the Jaguars. He can also aid Lawrence on the sideline and in the quarterback room.
"Played a lot of games, started a lot of games, and obviously things went the way they did and my goal is to kind of get the train back on the tracks," Jones said. "So I think I can do that here and the coaches here have talked to me about how I can do that and help the room and how I can learn from Trevor and everybody here."
