The New England Patriots are expecting big things from Mac Jones in his second season as a starter. As a rookie, Jones was asked mostly to just manage the game as New England relied on their running game and defense to lead them to victory.
This year, the team will open things up more for Jones offensively. Head coach Bill Belichick has been very pleased with what he has seen, praising the Alabama product for the strides that he has made this offseason.
With Josh McDaniels taking over as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, things will certainly be a little different for Jones and the offense. McDaniels was considered one of the best offensive minds in the game, so playing without him as offensive coordinator will take some adjusting to. If Jones can take that second-year leap, it will certainly soften the blow and make the transition easier.
While there are some mixed reviews about just how good Jones can be, there are some people that are very high on him outside of the Patriots organization. One of those people is Mike Tannenbaum, who has spent time in multiple front offices around the NFL.
During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up, Tannenbaum revealed that he believes Jones can reach a very high level during the 2022 season with the Patriots.
“Mac Jones, of all the quarterbacks drafted last year, has a legitimate chance to be in the MVP conversation this year.”
That is certainly a hot take as Jones isn’t near the top of any MVP betting odds boards right now. He isn’t inside the top 20, which is all some publications even share but where odds are available for him, he is a very long shot to win.
He shares odds with wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Deebo Samuel at +6000 odds to take home the MVP award. Jones is the 19th ranked quarterback on the odds, just ahead of Baker Mayfield, Mitchell Trubisky, Justin Fields, Jameis Winston and Trevor Lawrence, who are all +8000 to win the MVP.
The pieces are there for Jones to take a major step, as the acquisition of DeVante Parker from the Miami Dolphins bolsters the passing attack as he joins Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor. Tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith are two more good weapons for Jones to spread the ball around to.
An improvement is certainly in the cards, but if Mac Jones can ascend to MVP level, there likely aren’t many people outside of Tannenbaum that would have been proven correct predicting that before the season.
