Getty The New England Patriots can trade Mac Jones to a disciple of San Francisco 49ers' head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Getting decent trade value for Mac Jones is how the New England Patriots make the best of a bad situation. It can happen if the quarterback is dealt to the Los Angeles Rams to play for head coach Sean McVay, a disciple of San Francisco 49ers’ boss Kyle Shanahan.
The surprising trade scenario is outlined by Logan Reardon of NBC Sports Chicago. Reardon believes the Rams “would give Jones the chance to learn without any pressure.”
That belief is founded upon McVay calling “a similar offense to Kyle Shanahan, which plays to his strengths.” The similarities in scheme make the Rams a good fit even though “everyone will likely circle the San Francisco 49ers as Jones’ next team after their rumored draft interest in him.”
McVay’s team arguably has a bigger need for Jones because “the Rams also don’t have a young QB on the roster, with 35-year-old Matthew Stafford and 31-year-old Carson Wentz currently active.”
It’s a smart trade proposal since Jones needs a fresh start, while McVay has a reputation for developing quarterbacks. His pedigree began on Shanahan’s watch in Washington over a decade ago.
Sean McVay, Rams Offense Can Help Mac Jones
McVay was an assistant to Shanahan when the latter was offensive coordinator in Washington back in 2010. A season later McVay was promoted to tight ends coach and spent three campaigns working with the position group.
His time with Shanahan taught McVay an offense based on moving pockets, play-action passing and zone-stretch running. Shanahan’s fondness for RPOs and the play-action game explain why Jones has been linked with the 49ers more than once.
McVay’s used all of those same staple concepts with the Rams, and the schemes could revive Jones’ career. Being benched for Bailey Zappe represented the low point for Jones in New England, but the Patriots hardly played to the latter’s strengths.
Play-caller Bill O’Brien’s called 28 RPOs and 51 play-action passes for Jones, per Pro Football Reference. Those numbers are a far cry from the 33 RPOs and 104 PA attempts Jones executed during a Pro-Bowl rookie season in 2021.
The Rams still use play action, with Matthew Stafford attempting 97 PA throws. That’s a good sign for Jones, but McVay’s greater impact would be improving No. 10’s clutch game.
Stafford has posted a 112.8 passer rating and thrown 12 touchdowns on third and fourth down plays this season, per Pro Football Focus.
Matthew Stafford on 3rd/4th downs this season:
🔵 91.1 PFF grade (1st)
🟡 12 passing TDs
🔵 1 INT
🟡 112.8 passer rating (1st)
Those numbers contrast sharply with Jones’ 53.2 completion percentage on third down and 41.7 rating on fourth, according to ESPN.
Jones would welcome this trade, while the Patriots would surely endorse any deal that jettisons their struggling starter.
Patriots Need Mac Jones Trade
As much as Jones would benefit from a fresh start, the Patriots also need a clean beak at football’s most important position. Trading the player selected 15th overall in the 2021 NFL draft is the best way to overhaul the depth chart.
Jones is never going to make the grade in New England, while Zappe is not a long-term solution. It means the Pats are likely looking toward the draft again for QB help.
Currently owning the No. 3 pick means the Patriots can take a top passer like North Carolina’s Drake Maye. He’s the ideal choice, according to CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards and PFF’s Trevor Sikkema.
Maye would give the Patriots the kind of dual-threat QB1 the Patriots have rarely had on the watch of head coach Bill Belichick. Cam Newton was the closest in 2020, and 21-year-old “Maye has an excellent arm, but he is also extremely dangerous as a runner. Both on scrambles and designed runs,” according to Nate Tice of The Athletic.
The profile of quarterbacks favored by the Patriots will likely change if Belichick is out of the job. That shift in thinking could clear the path for Maye, provided Jones is no longer in the way.