Patriots Won’t Pick Up Mac Jones’ Fifth-Year Option, Open To Trading Him For ‘Right Deal’

According to Mark Daniels, the Patriots don’t plan to pick up the fifth-year option for QB Mac Jones this offseason. 

Daniels adds the Patriots won’t hesitate to trade Jones should the right deal come their way, and New England plans to look for help at quarterback this offseason. 

Jones struggled mightily this past season and ended the season as a healthy scratch and third-string quarterback. The Patriots have the No. 3 overall pick and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them use it on a quarterback. 

Still, Daniels writes the door is more ajar for Jones to remain in New England than it would have been had HC Bill Belichick remained, as the former coach was done with Jones and was no longer speaking to him by the end of the season. 

Jones, 25, took over as the starter for Alabama in 2020 and led one of the best offenses in school history. He was a consensus All-American as a redshirt junior and won the Davey O’Brien Award before declaring for the draft. The Patriots took Jones with pick No. 15 overall in 2021.

Jones signed a four-year, $15,586,353 contract with the Patriots that includes a $8,695,530 signing bonus. The Patriots will have a fifth-year option to pick up on him in 2024. 

In 2023, Jones appeared in 11 games for the Patriots and completed 64.9 percent of his pass attempts for 2,120 yards, 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also rushed 26 times for 96 yards. 

We’ll have more on the Patriots and Jones as the news is available.