Getty Images Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones
The struggles at the quarterback position for the New England Patriots were evident throughout the 2023 season, with former first-round pick Mac Jones enduring a particularly challenging campaign. Despite being the starter at the outset, Jones faced a tumultuous season that saw him benched at halftime and eventually relegated to the emergency quarterback role behind backup Bailey Zappe and even Nathan Rourke, who lacked NFL experience.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer revealed new details that paint a “toxic” and unbearable Patriots QB room.
“The quarterback room [Jones] was in the last two years got toxic, to the point where Bailey Zappe, as a rookie, sometimes watched tape in the receiver room,” wrote Breer in a mailbag article on February 14. Breer was responding to a question asking if Jones would have a chance to earn his starting job back with the new coaching staff.
Mac Jones Has ‘Regressed Badly’ Following a Great Rookie Campaign
Jones, who had shown promise as a Pro Bowl selection in his rookie year, faltered in his sophomore season, culminating in a disappointing performance marked by a lack of consistency. His completion rate was 64.9%, with 2,120 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Under his leadership, the Patriots managed only two wins in nine starts, bringing their record to 8-17 with Jones as the starter over the past two seasons.
2021 Mac Jones to Kendrick Bourne.
The future was so bright. 😭
“It’s really hard to live down your history with an NFL team, and Jones’s with the New England Patriots is not good,” Breer wrote. “He was drafted 15th and hasn’t come close to living up to his slot. He was good as a rookie, and regressed badly since.
“That’s a lot of wounds,” Breer stressed. “Some self-inflicted, some not, to try and heal, and wounds that Jerod Mayo saw surface with his own eyes as a Patriots assistant. You can’t snap your fingers and make that history disappear with coaches and staff. ”
And if the Patriots do bring Jones back, “What if the old, inconsistent Mac Jones is all that we see? Then what do the Patriots do?
“It’s not that I think Jones is a lost cause. It’s that his cause in New England is lost,” Breer closed with.
What’s Next for Jones, Bailey Zappe?
While it seems evident that most people don’t expect Jones to be around in 2024, where are his possible landing spots? Recent reports suggest that the Broncos and head coach Sean Peyton may be interested in Jones as they prepare to move on from Russell Wilson.
Breer also suggested a potential landing spot and one that would most likely be a positive for Jones.
“I think the ideal for Jones is that he lands somewhere like San Francisco as a backup, gets a year to learn, play if there’s an injury, and rebuild his name and reputation in the league,” Breer wrote.
Meanwhile, Zappe’s stint as the starter yielded mixed results, with the Patriots posting a 2-4 record under his leadership. Zappe threw for 1,272 yards, 6 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, completing 59.9% of his passes. The dynamics between Jones and Zappe behind the scenes were reportedly strained, as evidenced by Zappe’s decision to relocate while studying film in 2022.
Mac Jones beats the Jets. bailey Zappe throws multiple picks on the same drive. Somehow Zappe is the person avoiding blame, yet, Mac gets heat. The Patriots lost a lot of games with Mac on the bench. Not sure how Mac is at fault in your goofy standards.
With the coaching changes ushered in by Jerod Mayo taking over as head coach and Alex Van Pelt assuming the offensive coordinator role, uncertainties loom regarding the future of both Jones and Zappe. Neither quarterback demonstrated enough consistency or performance to instill confidence moving forward, leaving the Patriots with lingering questions about the quarterback position heading into the next season.