Big Jim: Mac Jones can’t be in the Patriots quarterback room in 2024
With the New England Patriots 2024 offseason underway, one of the biggest question marks is who will be their starting quarterback. On Thursday’s Felger and Mazz, Jim Murray gave his thoughts on something that Albert Breer of The MMQB had to say in his latest mailbag and why it means he doesn’t want Mac Jones in New England anymore.
Jim Murray thinks the Patriots need to move on from Mac Jones…
Jim Murray: I now feel this more than ever, no matter who is in the quarterback room in 2024 for the Patriots when they kickoff in September, Mac Jones can’t be part of it. He’s got to go. I don’t want Bailey Zappe there either. Again, the talent to ego ratio on both of those guys is out of whack, and so if they draft someone at three overall, even if you’re gonna sit him for a year, do you want those two around them in what has been a poisonous and toxic quarterback room? And that’s not my words, that’s the words of Bert Breer of TheMMQB. Reading last night from his mailbag on SI.com he says, from this reader, “any chance Mayo gives Mac Jones another chance as starter?”, and, Bert replies, “Luke, I’d be surprised. It’s not that I think Jones is a lost cause. It’s that his cause in New England is lost. It’s really hard to live down your history with an NFL team, and Jones’s with the Patriots is not good. Drafted 15th, hasn’t come close to living up to his slot, good as a rookie, regressed badly since. Well liked early on, but over time lost support in the building. And the quarterback room he was in the last two years got toxic to the point where Bailey Zappe as a rookie sometimes watched tape in the receiver room”. Now before I move on, what kind of a-hole do you have to be in the room to alienate a guy so much where he basically says, “yeah, I’m going to go watch tape in the bathroom, like, I don’t want to be around you. You’re too much of a prick”. Like, it really got that kind of bad. You can’t have this guy around.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 03: Bailey Zappe #4 of the New England Patriots warms up as Mac Jones #10 looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium on December 03, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Jim Murray: And this is something Devin McCourty talked to all of us about last week at the Super Bow, right? Like I found the very telling. Like yeah, he might get another shot, but it can’t be here. Like hey it sucks you got dealt a bad hand a few years back when your offensive coordinators, those gargoyles in Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, and that blows dude. But he also handled that handled it terribly. And it’s devolved into a situation where the room was so toxic that Bailey Zappe, who I think again ego to talent ratio with him is out of whack too, but he says, “I’m good. I’m going to go watch film in the receivers room because I can’t be around you”. Like, was Mac acting like a 12 year old girl that didn’t get her way? Like, how bad do you have to be to alienate someone enough that says, “yeah, I’m good. I’ll go down the hall. I can’t be around you because you’re you’re that bad”. He’s got to go. It can’t be here.
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A 7-point plan for the Patriots to fix their roster
The New England Patriots have a lot of work to do. This off-season, and the next, and the one after that.
But it’s still possible for the team to improve their roster in one year enough to return to playoff contention. It’s going to involve things that are never the ideal plan, like big free-agent spending. But that’s the situation the Pats have ended up in to start the Jerod Mayo era.
MORE: The big Patriots decision nobody is talking about
Realistically, this rebuild is going to take years. Especially if they draft a quarterback and decide to sit and develop him for his rookie year. But drafting a quarterback with that third overall pick seems like the most logical, realistic, and likely outcome for the Patriots at that position.
New England Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf is a key figure in the team’s roster rebuild. (Jim Matthews/Green Bay Press Gazette via USA TODAY Sports)
And even then, they’ll be far from done. They need at least one, if not two starting tackles. They could use multiple infusions of talent at wide receiver. And who knows, maybe the quarterback doesn’t work out and they have to draft another one down the road.
But! If the Patriots followed this 7-point plan, they’d position themselves well to turn things around quickly – provided they add the right players. Frankly, it would be great if they even did just one or two of these things. They almost certainly will, because some of these things are absolute musts and have been hinted at already, anyway. So, you can expect at least a couple of these things to be things.
Here’s what I believe the Patriots can accomplish all in just this one off-season, and give themselves a good chance to become AFC contenders once again.
1. Sign a big-name free-agent receiver
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 21: Mike Evans #13 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers catches a pass in front of Cameron Sutton #1 of the Detroit Lions during the second quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Ford Field on January 21, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The first big bullet: bring in one of the top free-agent wide receivers. This year is a time to strike, as the free agent market fluctuates from year-to-year as far as the level of talent at the top. The 2024 free agent receiver class is top-heavy with legitimate high-end players that make the kind of money you inevitably need to pay to have them.
There’s a “Big 4” of sorts among the free agent receivers this off-season: Mike Evans, Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr., and Calvin Ridley. All will probably come at high price tags, but would have a good chance to deliver a high impact to their new teams.
2. Re-sign Mike Onwenu to play right tackle
Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New England Patriots guard Mike Onwenu (71) blocks against Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
This should be a no-brainer. The Patriots offensive line markedly improved once they moved Mike Onwenu to right tackle, and they desperately need a starting tackle as Onwenu heads for free agency. He won’t be cheap – Onwenu may be able to command an AAV in the range of $17-20 million – but it’s the price you pay when you have no tackles.
But Onwenu is a high-end homegrown talent at his position, and so he deserves to be rewarded with a second contract in New England. They need him. He and the receiver can round out their big free-agent spending, with the rest going toward complementary pieces. That would qualify as a successful free agency spree.
3. Draft a quarterback at 3
Oct 21, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) looks to pass against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports
Three or higher. The Patriots really shouldn’t draft any lower than No. 3 overall. You can’t move down from 3 when there are three quarterbacks sitting there ready to be taken. Head coach Jerod Mayo recently said in an interview that the Patriots are going to “draft the best player for a position thatās very important.” So, it’s quite possible he was referring to this year’s “Big 3” quarterbacks of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels.
When things go as bad as they did for the Patriots, and you end up that high in a quarterback-heavy draft, you pretty much have to gamble on the quarterback. Daniels, for example, would certainly be a bigger gamble than a safer pick like wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. But you can’t risk being the team that passed on a franchise QB, either. Especially a team in the Patriots’ position. So, they should absolutely take a QB with their first pick.
4. Draft a tackle high
TUCSON, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 30: Offensive lineman Jordan Morgan #77 of the Arizona Wildcats during the second half of the NCAAF game at Arizona Stadium on September 30, 2023 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Patriots have the 34th pick at the top of the second round, and they should be able to get a good tackle prospect at that spot. Perhaps they could move back up into the first round to get one. But it’s a deep tackle class, and someone like Arizona’s Jordan Morgan should be available at 34.
Tackle may not be a sexy position, but it can’t be ignored. Any quarterback is limited without good protection, and the Patriots have an urgent need. So, they should definitely dip into this tackle pool, and with a high pick.
5. Draft another cornerback
ATHENS, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 05: Kamari Lassiter #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts after a play against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second quarter at Sanford Stadium on November 05, 2022 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
This one might be the first outside-the-box kind of idea for the Patriots, as the preceding points are more like “How do we approach this obvious need?” Cornerback is not an obvious need for the Patriots, but they should keep drafting them with legit picks.
Why? The Patriots don’t have much after Christian Gonzalez in terms of legitimate outside corners. They can and probably will get out from under J.C. Jackson’s contract, and Jonathan Jones is another year older and has never been a perfect fit on the perimeter, anyway. Could Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter be an option on day 2 of the draft? This is a position that shouldn’t be ignored, despite the Patriots’ needs on offense. Cornerback remains a premium position, regardless, and should always be replenished with talent.
6. Add a veteran backup QB
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 13: Joe Flacco #15 of the Cleveland Browns throws a pass against the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Playoffs at NRG Stadium on January 13, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Yes, we’re putting a picture of Joe Flacco. He was just in Cleveland, working with the Patriots’ new offensive coordinator, Alex Van Pelt. Flacco came off the street and posted an admirable 90.2 passer rating for the Browns, leading them into the playoffs, so he should be able to get another job if he wants one.
Especially if the Patriots are going to move on from Mac Jones and/or Bailey Zappe, they’re going to need a veteran backup QB. Perhaps they could turn to old friend Jacoby Brissett, too. But regardless, that room could use some experience and maturity.
7. Cut back on special teams
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 07: Matthew Slater #18 of the New England Patriots waves to fans while walking off the field after a game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Matthew Slater is a possibility to retire and Bill Belichick is gone. It’s time to de-emphasize that third phase of the game. Not that the Patriots need to employ ZERO specialists. But they can absolutely coach up their backup offensive and defensive players to also play special teams. They don’t need half a squad of pure special teamers. It’s time to take that space and invest it in offense.
