11 March 2024 , 01:00
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Mac Jones, the former first round pick of the New England Patriots, is being traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars, bringing to an end his rollercoaster spell in Foxboro and sparking another search for Tom Brady's successor.
After an impressive first season in New England, the 25-year-old quarterback endured tough 2022 and 2023 seasons and last year was benched by legendary head coach Bill Belichick, ending with a 2-9 record from his 11 starts.
Even though Belichick was replaced by new head coach Jerod Mayo, Jones will not be staying with the Patriots. Instead, he's off to the Jaguars to continue his NFL career, with the two teams finalising a deal before the new league year starts on Wednesday.
Jones still needs to pass a physical and complete all the formalities, but it looks like the move will be finalised soon. The Patriots are set to receive a sixth-round pick from the Jaguars as they start to build a team for the post-Belichick era.
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It could prove to be the ideal restart for Jones too. He was born and raised in Jacksonville before heading to Alabama for college and then onto the NFL.
There were high hopes for Jones when he was picked No. 15 in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He joined a team that was still adjusting to the loss of Tom Brady, who had just won his seventh Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jones had a good first season with the Patriots, playing in every regular-season game and helping them achieve a 10-7 record. Despite being knocked out of the playoffs by the Miami Dolphins with a 33-24 loss, Jones was recognised with Pro Bowl honours.
However, the young quarterback didn't manage to keep up that strong start in the NFL. The Patriots didn't make it to the postseason in 2022 or 2023, with Bailey Zappe stepping in on occasions during both of those seasons.
Mac Jones is leaving New England (Getty Images)Belichick's 24-year reign ended in January, leaving the Pats now looking to either find a new quarterback in April's draft or bring in an experienced leader through free agency. They could even do both as Mayo embarks on replacing Belichick with huge uncertainty at the game's most important position.
New England currently holds the No. 3 pick in this year's draft - after the Chicago Bears and the Washington Commanders - and fans are excited about the possibility of bringing in one of LSU's Jayden Daniels, North Carolina's Drake Maye or Chicago's Caleb Williams.
There are also some seasoned players available. Kirk Cousins will be back in shape after the Achilles injury that spoiled his 2023 season, while Baker Mayfield's future is still up in the air.
However, the Atlanta Falcons are ahead in the race for Cousins, and the Minnesota Vikings haven't given up on keeping the quarterback either. As for Mayfield, he seems likely to continue working with receiver Mike Evans in Tampa Bay.