The 2023 season has been a disaster for the New England Patriots, and they find themselves in a situation their fans never thought they would be in. Mac Jones is even being mentioned in trade rumors. A team to watch could be the Tennessee Titans.
The team holds a 1-5 record through Week 6, and Jones has struggled mightily. Jones has already been benched twice this season, and he could end up being benched again, perhaps permanently, unless he picks up his production.
So far this season, he has completed only 64.2 percent of his pass attempts and has five touchdown passes and seven interceptions, which has resulted in a very poor 74.4 passer rating. Many have blamed head coach Bill Belichick, who is also New England’s de facto general manager, for putting a weak team around the young signal-caller.
If the Patriots decide to move on from Jones completely, could the Titans be a potential trade partner? That’s the argument Christopher Kline of FanSided made.
“If the Patriots are ready to pull the plug on Jones and ‘Crumble for Caleb,’ why not spin the former first-round pick into a late-round draft pick and call it a day?” wrote Kline. “Jones should still have enough latent intrigue around the league to at least warrant a second chance. Maybe the Titans get desperate and decide to give it to him.
“Jones would make for an interesting trade target because of his age. He’s 25, less than a year older than Malik Willis and Will Levis. The Titans would be setting the stage for a three-way battle for ‘QB of the future’ honors, with Jones positioned as the de facto short-term favorite based on league experience. Whether Jones is actually the best option from that bunch is another question entirely.
“This would essentially boil down to a calculated risk from Tennessee — one that only makes sense if Tannehill’s future with the franchise is truly in doubt. Jones put together a tremendous rookie season when surrounded with a competent offensive line and a half-decent crew of playmakers. The Titans aren’t exactly brimming with talent, but it’s a change of scenery for a once-promising young player.”
Mac Jones showed plenty of promise as a rookie in 2021, posting a 67.6 percent completion rate and throwing for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdown passes as New England made the playoffs for the first time since Tom Brady left following the 2019 campaign. In fact, some had begged Jones as an MVP candidate prior to last season.
But since then, he has regressed, and he has seemingly gotten worse over time.
The Titans have a 35-year-old in Ryan Tannehill under center, and he is clearly in steep decline. It is time for them to move on from him, and perhaps a change in scenery, along with the necessity of earning the starting QB spot, would do Mac Jones plenty of good.
He’s young enough and early enough in his career where he doesn’t necessarily have to be damaged goods, even if one wants to pin all of his struggles on Belichick. He may never become an elite QB, but maybe a different environment could allow him to at least be an above-average one.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
