Trey Wingo: Mac Jones needs a fresh start and a reboot
On Thursday’s edition of Zolak & Bertrand, ESPN’s Trey Wingo joined the show to talk about Mac Jones needing a fresh start and a reboot.
Who’s been the guy defensive coordinators have had to fear?
Marc Bertrand: Let’s talk about Mac Jones for a minute, because I feel like Trey Wingo had a lot of takes about Mac Jones over the years. You had that great story about Mac Jones talking trash to Nick Saban a few years back when he was being drafted right. What do you think happened to the guy who once upon a time was talking trash to Nick Saban, to where he is now because his confidence is not there, it’s nonexistent. In your mind, where’s it all gone wrong for that guy?
Trey Wingo: What’s the line Russell Brand had from Forgetting Sarah Marshall? Don’t let him beat you down. Don’t let him grind you down. I think that’s it, man. He needs a fresh start and he needs a reboot and hopefully with Jerod (Mayo) and everybody that they bring in, it can happen. He was the guy that in his Rookie year took you guys to the playoffs and obviously got smoked in that wild card game against against Buffalo. What was it, 47-17?
Scott Zolak: He was ready to go, like the rest of the team wasn’t ready. Mac didn’t play that poorly in that game.
Trey Wingo: I agree. I just think if we’re being honest about it as a team construct, you know, they brought back Matt Patricia to try and run the offense with Joe Judge and that was a mistake obviously. If you looked at the Patriots offense over the last couple of years, name me the one guy that the defensive coordinator would say, that’s the guy we fear. That’s the guy we got to stop. There just wasn’t that guy. There wasn’t that guy. You know, I think that’s as much of it as anything.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 17: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots looks on before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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Winners and losers from the NFL coaching carousel
TBD:
Patriots: Jerod Mayo
I like Jerod Mayo I think he can be a very good coach in the NFL but he’s stepping into a brutal situation replacing the greatest coach of all time with one of the worst rosters in the league. I feel it’s unfair to put Mayo in the losers category because most of my negativity towards the hire has very little to do with him. It’s more to do with the way the Patriots have conducted themselves. If the Patriots were going to distance themselves from Bill Belichick they should have done it and completely moved on.
Instead it feels like more of the same in New England as Mayo has only ever played in the NFL for Belichick and only coached with him. The succession plan that Mayo was already in place while Belichick was a lame duck coach, also doesn’t seem like good business either for anyone involved.
The Patriots replaced the greatest coach of all time with a player who learned everything they know about playing and coaching in the NFL from him. Doesn’t really seem like a franchise headed in a different direction especially with the way they’ve approached their assistant coach hiring’s and lack of naming a general manager.
Seahawks: Mike McDonald
Another major shakeup as Seattle moves on from Pete Carroll after over a decade. McDonald is stepping into a decent situation in Seattle but still has his work cut out for him. Coming from Baltimore McDonald is viewed as one of the best young defensive minds in the game. At 36 McDonald is now the youngest coach in the league and many are optimistic about Seattle’s young defensive core.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 07: Owner and managing general partner Mark Davis (L) and interim head coach Antonio Pierce of the Las Vegas Raiders greet each other on the Raiders’ sideline before the team’s game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 27-14. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Raiders: Antonio Pierce
The Raiders had their guy all along in Antonio Pierce and while the team rallied behind him after Josh McDaniels was fired I still think the jury is out on Pierce long term. I think Pierce is a great fit in Vegas but he’ll have his hands full with a depleted roster in a division that has Mahomes and now a Herbert and Harbuagh pairing.
Panthers: Dave Canales
I want to put Canales in the losers category just because of how bad the situation he’s stepping into is but it’s not his fault. David Tepper has been a disaster since he took over as owner of the Panthers. Not that he’s hired any stellar coaches but he’s had a very short leash and now Canales steps into a poor roster and very few picks to rebuild that roster.
Canales has proven he’s a bright offensive mind but being a coordinator in Tampa with Brady, Mayfield and a loaded roster is a cake walk compared to rebuilding one of the worst franchises in the league.
Winners:
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 08: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after defeating the Washington Huskies during the 2024 CFP National Championship game at NRG Stadium on January 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Michigan defeated Washington 34-13. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Chargers: Jim Harbaugh
This one seems pretty self explanatory even if you’re not a giant Harbaugh fan. Going from the analytics defensive minded Brandon Staley who clearly wasn’t working to an established winning QB whisperer in Jim Harbaugh is in my opinion the biggest upgrade of the offseason. Harbaugh has built programs and cultures wherever he goes and he wins. All while his quarterbacks play well. We all know the Chargers have Justin Herbert who has every athletic gift you could ever hope for in a quarterback but doesn’t seem to be able to put it all together. The Chargers are hoping Harbaugh can fix that and finally give the Chiefs some actual competition in the AFC West.
Dec 31, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik on the sideline during the game against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Lions & Texans: Keeping Ben Johnson and Bobby Slowik
Another one that’s pretty self explanatory the Lions and Texans might have had the two most coveted coordinators heading into this hiring cycle and somehow both ended up staying put. That might raise some red flags as to why these guys didn’t get head coaching jobs but if you’re a Texans or Lions fan you got to be happy getting your offensive coordinator back who has a great relationship with your quarterback. For the Texans CJ Stroud is coming off a rookie of the year campaign so having Slowik come back for year two is a huge win for them. While Goff has shown he wasn’t just a product of Sean McVay in LA while playing under Campbell and Johnson.
Falcons: Raheem Morris and Zac Robinson
I know this seems inconsistent as some of the other new hires were put in the to be determined category but I’ll explain why I think Atlanta is one of the winners. Atlanta was able to get Raheem Morris one of the best young defensive minds in football who led the 2021 Rams defense to a Superbowl win. Morris has some head coaching experience as he took over for Dan Quinn when he was fired in Atlanta and went 4-7 as the interim head coach.
Now Morris comes back with more experience and he brings with him Zac Robinson one of the more coveted young offensive minds in the league. It’s the pairing of the two why I put Atlanta in the winners category. Morris alone I believe is a very good hire but the pairing gives Atlanta a real shot to make some noise in a weak NFC South with a talented young roster. If they can figure out the QB position anytime soon they’ll be a real threat in the NFC.
