When the New England Patriots took quarterback Mac Jones with the 15th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, they were hoping he would be Tom Brady’s successor. At this point, it seems safe to say that will not happen.

Now in his third season, Jones has actually regressed since his rookie campaign, and many feel that the Patriots will end up moving on from the 25-year-old in the coming months. A former NFL executive told the NFL Analysis Network as much this week.

“I don’t think Mac Jones will be a Patriot next season,” the former exec said. “I think he will be traded this offseason, and I think the return is going to be shockingly low.”

Jones is coming off yet another disastrous outing, as he went just 12-for-22 with 110 yards, two interceptions, and a lost fumble in a 34-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints this past Sunday. The Patriots fell to 1-4 with the defeat, marking their worst start since Bill Belichick’s first year in 2000.

NFL NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Mac Jones & New England Patriots Updates

It marked the second straight week that Jones had been benched. In the previous game, Jones posted eerily similar numbers, going 12-for-21 with 150 yards, a couple of picks, and a lost fumble.

To make matters worse, Jones stirred up some controversy during New England’s lone win back in Week 3, as he appeared to hit New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner in the private area. It was just the latest incident in a career littered with questionable on-field behavior for Jones.

Considering all of those factors, it’s not a surprise that the former executive does not think the Pats will garner a substantial return for Jones in a potential trade.

NFL NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Mac Jones & New England Patriots Updates

The Patriots shopped Jones this past offseason, but nothing came to fruition. Perhaps Belichick and Co. would have been better off trading Jones back in the spring when he had more value, but hindsight is 20/20.