What could a Mac Jones trade bring to the Patriots? An NFL executive explains

Patriots

“I definitely think it will have a market.”

Mac Jones could play elsewhere in 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

All signs point to Mac Jones playing elsewhere in 2024.

But even if the Patriots don’t plan to exercise the 25-year-old quarterback’s fifth-year option, Jones won’t officially hit free agency until after the 2024 season ends.

Jones could remain on the sidelines in a backup role in 2024, especially if the Patriots add another quarterback via free agency or the draft. But a clean slate for all parties could be the best option going forward.

So what could the Patriots really gain by trading Jones?

MassLive’s Karen Guregian spoke with an NFL executive about the issue this week.

“I could see a team, even if they saw him as a very good backup, trading a fifth-round pick for him.” the executive told Guregian. “Maybe they could get a fourth round, but it would depend on the time of year and the team’s situation.”

Although Jones is just two years away from a Pro Bowl appearance as a rookie, his regression in 2022 and 2023 severely hampered his value.

Jones was benched after Week 12 last season, with New England rolling with Bailey Zappe as the team’s QB1 after Jones threw 10 touchdowns and was thrown for 12 interceptions in 11 games.

A fifth-round pick is a smaller return than the 49ers received for trading Trey Lance to the Cowboys in August. Although Lance has only started four NFL games between 2021-22, San Francisco managed to get a fourth-round pick in exchange for the signal-caller.

“Trey Lance never had a season like Mac’s,” the executive explained. “But he also had a couple of years of control over his contract, which is a big deal when you make a trade.”

An additional fifth-round pick may not be much of a return for a Patriots team that desperately needs the best draft capital. Still, the executive told Guregian that a split between New England and Jones remains the best path forward.

“I definitely think it will have a market. It seems like the last two years have been difficult for him,” the executive told Guregian. “Mayo is a new coach and all that. But it seems that keeping him could cause more problems. That’s not how you want to start your coaching career, having a disgruntled player, especially in that position.

“It’s not what you want, especially when you’re trying to establish a new way of doing things, a new culture there.”