Getty Mac Jones sent a strong message about working with former Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien on the New England Patriots
Mac Jones is excited about the prospect of working with former Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien on the New England Patriots — telling WBZ-TV’s Steve Burton as much on April 13.
“We’re all excited for this next year, and it just starts with putting your head down and going to work,” Jones said. “We’ve got a great group of guys, and it’s all about how you come together as a team — players, coaches, everybody. I’m excited to work with (O’Brien), and I know we all are. It’s going to be a great year. We’ve just going to put the work in.”
As Pats Pulpit’s Bernd Buchmasser put it, O’Brien’s return to the Patriots for a second stint comes with high expectations.
“His return comes with high expectations to bring the offense back on track after what had been a bad 2022 campaign for the unit,” Buchmasser wrote. “Operating without an official coordinator, the Patriots instead opted to insert the inexperienced Matt Patricia and Joe Judge as the lead coaches on the offensive side of the ball. The experiment backfired, with the entire group taking a step back.”
Patriots Offensive System Called ‘Dysfunctional’ By Analyst
Mirror’s Charlie Wilson had a harsh assessment of the Patriots’ offensive system in 2022, calling it “dysfunctional” and accusing New England’s roster of being “poor.”
“Jones had an impressive rookie season where he finished second to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and was named to the Pro Bowl after leading the Patriots to the Play-Offs for the first time since Tom Brady’s departure,” Wilson prefaced before saying, “This past season though, he struggled in the Pats’ dysfunctional offensive system – after the team did not hire an offensive coordinator along with having a poor roster around him.”
Wilson sees Jones’ stock as one with a downward trajectory following an All-Rookie season in 2021.
“It certainly has appeared that Jones’ stock has been trending downwards with the New England Patriots coaching staff and front office after his struggles from 2022,” Wilson wrote.
Mac Jones Has ‘Legitimate Reasons’ to be Optimistic in 2023
CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo believes Jones has “legitimate reasons to be optimistic” about the 2023 season in New England — assuming Patriots head coach Bill Belichick keeps the quarterback in his doghouse following rumors Jones sought outside help during the 2022 season in a supposed act of disloyalty.
“Jones has legitimate reasons to be optimistic about the upcoming season, assuming the Patriots don’t trade him,” DeArdo wrote. “For one, the Patriots have an experienced offensive coordinator this season in O’Brien, who enjoyed recent success in that role at Alabama. O’Brien’s first stint in New England included one season as the team’s offensive coordinator. That season (2011), the Patriots won the AFC after finishing third in the NFL in points scored during the regular season.”
DeArdo relayed that the Patriots will add talent to the roster via the No. 15 in the 2023 NFL draft.
“New England is expected to add more to its offense with the 15th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft,” DeArdo wrote. “Receiver and offensive tackle two of the positions many experts feel New England will address with the pick. That would surely be OK with Jones, who saw his No. 1 receiver last season, Jakobi Meyers, sign with the Raiders during free agency.”