It seems fair to say that New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is mired in the most brutal three-week stretch of his NFL career. That could lead the team to trade for a new quarterback. Perhaps New Orleans Saints backup quarterback Jameis Winston.
Jones went 24 for 33 for 200 yards, and one interception during the Patriots’ rough 21-17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon, dropping New England to 1-5. It marks the Pats’ worst start since 2000, when Bill Belichick was in his first year as Patriots coach.
Jones was benched for the second straight game, as he also struggled mightily in New England’s Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. In Week 5, he was benched again.
In addition, Jones stirred up some controversy during the Pats’ Week 3 win over the New York Jets after appearing to hit Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner in the private area.
It’s looking more and more like the Patriots will have to look for another quarterback in the offseason, but they also may need a solution right now (and I don’t think Bailey Zappe is it).
Could New England try to swing a deal for Saints backup Jameis Winston? Joe Tansey of Bleacher Report makes the suggestion.
Of course, Winston was once a starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also made 10 starts for New Orleans between 2021 and 2022. So, he has experience in a featured role.
The Patriots could trade Zappe and a 2024 third-round draft pick to the Saints for Winston, providing New Orleans with a young quarterback and a decent draft asset.
Meanwhile, New England would land a probable upgrade under center for 2023. Plus, the Pats can always re-sign Winston and have him in camp for a potential quarterback competition next year.
Winston has had some effective years as a starter, so perhaps Belichick could work some magic with him.
One thing is for sure: the Patriots need to try something, because Jones absolutely does not seem to be the solution for the franchise.
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