Mac Jones Respects Robert Kraft, ‘Going to Compete’ if on Patriots or New NFL Team

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Mac Jones acknowledged his future with the New England Patriots is unclear after a 2023 NFL season in which he lost the starting quarterback job to Bailey Zappe.

“I have a lot of respect for [team owner Robert] Kraft and his family and what they’ve built here and the Patriots,” he told reporters. “At the end of the day, a lot of that is out of my control, but I hope they realize that I’m going to compete and I’m going to do that wherever I’m at on any NFL team whether it’s here or somewhere else.”

Jones added he’s “looking forward to the next opportunity” after having already increased his commitment off the field toward improving his game.

The 2021 first-round pick threw for 2,120 yards, 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 11 starts, and he had the third-lowest QBR (36.7) of the 30 qualified quarterbacks around the league.

Head coach Bill Belichick had benched Jones before in 2022, but it’s tough to see how there’s a way back from not starting any of the Patriots’ last six games. He was even relegated to emergency QB status for the regular-season finale, a 17-3 loss to the New York Jets.

Jones’ rookie deal provides New England with a compelling reason to keep him for at least one more year. He’s due to earn just under $5 million for 2024, which is basically backup quarterback money.

Riding the pine wouldn’t exactly aid in the 25-year-old’s development, though, and his presence would remain the kind of ongoing storyline the coaching staff may prefer to avoid. A change of scenery might benefit both Jones and the Patriots at this stage.