According to sources familiar with the situation, the New England Patriots are in the final stages of a trade deal that would send quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the development on Sunday.
As part of the trade, the Patriots are set to receive a 2024 sixth-round pick, sources said. However, the trade cannot be finalized until the new league year commences on Wednesday, pending Jones passing a physical.
New England currently holds the No. 3 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, where many anticipate they will choose one of the highly-rated quarterbacks available, likely LSU’s Jayden Daniels or North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
Jones, a Jacksonville native, is expected to join the Jaguars as a backup to Trevor Lawrence, the first overall pick in the 2021 draft. Jones was selected 15th overall in the same draft.
Upon joining the Jaguars, Jones is expected to compete with C.J. Beathard for the role of Lawrence’s primary backup. Beathard, entering the final year of his two-year, $4.5 million contract, has started just one game in his three seasons with the Jaguars.
Lawrence, who missed Week 17 last season due to a right shoulder injury, battled several injuries throughout the year, including a left knee sprain, an ankle sprain, a concussion, and the shoulder injury.
Jones, who started all 17 regular-season games in his rookie year, was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate. However, his performance declined over the following seasons, partly due to coaching and personnel changes within the Patriots organization.
In 2022, former Patriots coach Bill Belichick appointed Matt Patricia as the offensive playcaller and Joe Judge as quarterbacks coach, but the changes did not yield the desired results for Jones. Belichick then hired Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator in 2023, but Jones continued to struggle, leading to his benching in favor of Bailey Zappe after 11 games.
Currently, the Patriots’ quarterback depth chart includes Zappe and second-year player Nathan Rourke. With a sixth-round pick from the Jaguars, the Patriots will have eight picks in the upcoming draft, including an additional selection in the sixth round.
