Getty Mac Jones
Players across the NFL hold New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones in high regard.
The quarterback landed on the NFL’s Top 100 players list after an impressive rookie season in 2022. Coming in at No. 85 is no small feat for a quarterback entering his second NFL season.
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Jones threw for 3,081 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns in his rookie season in 2021. That was good enough to get the Patriots into the playoffs and Jones into the Pro Bowl. While New England was unable to get past the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round, Patriots fans were happy with what Jones was able to do.
Some of Jones’ teammates talked about what makes the quarterback so special including defensive tackle Lawrence Guy.
“The best thing about Mac is, he came in a leader,” Guy stated. “He built that relationship with his teammates. The offensive line loves him. You can see the respect that they have (for) him.”
Damien Harris also detailed the relationship he had with Jones at training camp at the beginning of the month.
“Mac is just an infectious guy that everybody gravitates to,” Harris said. He’s a great leader, great football player, he’s an incredibly hard worker and he’s an even better friend. Whenever you take all of those attributes and put them into one person it’s easy to see why so many people gravitate towards him and why so many people want to be around him and want to follow him.
“He’s the hardest worker. He works incredibly hard, he always comes out here to do his best, not only to be his best but to make everyone around him better. Like I said when you put all those things together man, he’s a special guy and I know that I feel so fortunate to share this field with him for the second time in my football career.”
What Did Opponents Say About Jones?
After landing at No. 85 on the Top 100 list, Jones received a ton of praise from his opponents.
“Pro Bowl as a rookie, that’s always pretty impressive,” said Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey.
Opponents also believe that Jones will have an impressive NFL career.
“Definitely one of the most solid pickups in recent times in the league,” said New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis. “His career is going to take off in a major way.”
Former Patriots were also impressed by the rookie quarterback.
“The way he goes through progressions, he doesn’t make many crucial errors or mistakes,” New York Jets wide receiver Braxton Berrios said. “He’s going to be a player in this league for a long time.”
“I think he’s a hell of a player,” added Pro Bowler Chandler Jones. “He’s going to be good for the Patriots franchise for a very long time. I believe that.”
Are There Any Concerns About Jones?
While Jones was able to land on the Top 100 list and had an impressive rookie season, some experts believe there are areas of his game where he can improve.
ESPN’s Todd McShay believes that Jones’ deep-ball accuracy needs improvement.
“The accuracy definitely still needs to improve when driving the ball down the field,” McShay wrote. “We saw Alabama’s talented receiver group make up for his inconsistent ball placement on deep shots and adjust to off-target vertical throws during his final college season, and it’s still a bit of an issue. Jones’ 37.3% completion percentage and 40.7% off-target rate when throwing at least 20 yards downfield each ranked 21st in the NFL last season. He also had a minus-2.2% completion percentage over expectation when throwing 20-plus yards downfield, per NFL Next Gen Stats (35th).”