Getty New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick
While some New England Patriots fans are wondering if the team needs to get rid of Mac Jones, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer has a plan that would bring a new quarterback to New England and still have Jones on the roster.
Appearing on NBC Sports Boston, Breer made the case for why New England should sign current Los Angeles Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“So what we’ve seen is Bill continuing to push, and push, and push Mac,” Breer stated. “Well, if that’s the way that he’s treated him in Year 2, and the performance hasn’t been there, shouldn’t we be led to believe that maybe in Year 3 he takes that to another level and brings in another person?
“And I do think what you lose in reps maybe you gain in competition,” he added. “The way I look at this, there’s two benefits to bringing in competition. Especially if it’s somebody young like Baker Mayfield. Number one, you may find an answer on Mac quicker, on who he’s going to be as a professional and as a player. Number two, this gives you kind of two swings at it. If the goal is to find your quarterback for the next decade, having both Baker Mayfield and Mac Jones in the building, if the talent is comparable, gives you two swings at getting that answer right.”
Patriots Quarterback Mac Jones Shouldn’t Be Too Worried
While the prospect of bringing in another quarterback to challenge Jones might excite some fans, Jones likely won’t be sweating bullets if Mayfield was to be brought in.
Ever since Mayfield’s 2018 Rookie of the Year campaign, it has been a downward spiral for the quarterback who was drafted out of Oklahoma. 2022 hasn’t treated Mayfield particularly kindly as he has only thrown for 1,884 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions per Pro Football Reference. He has been unable to maintain starting jobs and is only getting reps in LA due to injuries.
Veteran Patriots Players Aren’t Focusing on Future
Week 17 will be the last home game for the Patriots and for some players it might be their last home game at Gillette Stadium. Matthew Slater is 37 years old which means retirement is knocking at the door, but ahead of the Week 17 matchup, Slater said he is just focusing on what lies ahead of him.
“Look, I’m just trying to stay in the moment,” Slater said. “Only the good Lord knows what’s in store for me beyond this very hour, so for me, it’s just to try to stay in the moment, enjoy the opportunity that I have. I know my opportunities are fleeting as an advanced-aged football player, but I’m thankful to be a part of this team.
“I’m thankful for another opportunity to come out and play at Gillette Stadium, and I’m going to try to make the most of it,” he added. “Whatever happens after that, we’ll see, but I’m excited and thankful for this opportunity.”
Slater has had a prolific special teams career with New England. He has been to the Pro Bowl 10 times and is also a two-time All-Pro. If he does decide to hang up his cleats, he is a surefire Patriots Hall of Famer and possibly could end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well.
Zappe! Yeah, he had a bad half of a game. Big deal. He should get a legitimate chance.