After New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones’ ugly interception Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, he took his customary seat on the bench next to offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. For a while, neither said a word.
What was there to say? All week, they’d gone over those kinds of plays, trying to eliminate the silly but costly mistakes from Jones’ game. And then it happened again, this one marking the fifth game in six this season in which Jones has thrown a pick.
OUR BALL!!!#NEvsLV | 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/qnZlymKViB
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 15, 2023
There’s still plenty of time (11 games to be exact) for things to change, for Jones and the 1-5 Patriots. Jones is expected to remain the starting quarterback this week, O’Brien said Tuesday. But at this point, it’s looking like Jones may not be the Patriots’ best option at quarterback in 2024.
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Let’s look at what their options would be if they were to make a change this spring.
The 35-year-old Minnesota Viking is the best quarterback slated to hit free agency this offseason and could command north of $30 million a year. But the Patriots have the cap space to add a player of Cousins’ caliber if that’s the route they choose.
Cousins would give them the best path toward immediate success without giving up assets in a trade. He has thrown for more than 4,000 yards in three straight seasons and has more than 25 touchdown passes every year he’s been a starter. He’d give the Pats immediate competency at the position, even though he’s getting up there in age.
That said, Cousins has also enjoyed working with a Vikings team that has great offensive weapons. If Minnesota makes a competitive offer, many believe he’d prefer to remain there.
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The No. 1 pick in 2018 is the only other pending free agent who could be considered a viable starting quarterback. His body of work is a mixed bag, but he’s had a bit of a resurgence this season that could lead to a team believing he could be its starter.
Through five games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, Mayfield has thrown seven touchdowns to three interceptions while averaging 6.7 yards per attempt.
Even with better numbers this season, Mayfield is probably best viewed as a bridge option while developing a younger quarterback.
If the Patriots wanted to make a bold change, they could try to trade for Murray, the No. 1 pick in 2019. The undersized dual-threat quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals tore his ACL last season against the Patriots and hasn’t yet returned to action. But the Cardinals, who are run by former Patriots executive Monti Ossenfort, are a rebuilding team that might look to move Murray this offseason.
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If Bill Belichick remains the coach in New England, there are legitimate questions about how this fit would work. Belichick pushes the Patriots to work harder and longer than most teams, and Murray’s study habits were enough of a question that the Cardinals originally put a clause in his contract mandating he spend time studying game film.
The 32-year-old signed with the New Orleans Saints this spring, but that hasn’t produced the results either side was hoping for — aside from their blowout win over the Patriots.
Through six games this season, Carr has thrown five touchdowns to three interceptions while averaging 6.5 yards per attempt, his lowest number in that stat since his rookie season in 2014.
The Denver Broncos already seem to have buyer’s remorse after their blockbuster deal to acquire Wilson has yielded only five wins in 21 games as a starter. New coach Sean Payton doesn’t seem attached to the quarterback, meaning he could be available via trade this offseason, even if the Broncos would have to eat a lot of dead money.
Wilson’s numbers have fallen off in recent years, but perhaps the Pats could talk themselves into thinking they could help Wilson return to the quarterback he was in Seattle. Wilson’s 7.1 yards per attempt this season would be the lowest average of his career.
Could there be a reunion for Garoppolo and the Patriots? It doesn’t seem likely, but maybe if the Patriots valued familiarity and the Raiders wanted a change (and, perhaps, moved on from Josh McDaniels), this isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
His stats aren’t super impressive — he has thrown more interceptions (eight) than touchdowns (seven) this season — but he does have a 43-19 record as a starter.
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The Detroit Lions drafted Hooker in the third round this spring while he was still recovering from an ACL tear. But with Jared Goff playing so well, they could hand Goff an extension, which could make Hooker expendable.
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Hooker is a 25-year-old rookie (he’s older than Mac Jones), which isn’t ideal. But there’s a reason he was considered a potential first-round pick before his injury last season.
As bad as the Patriots have been, it’s going to be difficult to get the No. 1 draft pick given the struggles of teams elsewhere. Williams is the consensus favorite to go first overall after winning the Heisman Trophy last year at USC.
“He offers a dynamic and unique package of skills,” The Athletic draft expert Dane Brugler told me about Williams. “He is a terrific athlete with a strong arm and good feel for accuracy as a passer to attack every level. He is fantastic at navigating chaos and creating ad-lib plays, though his tendency to hold the ball will backfire against talented defenses (see the 2023 Notre Dame tape). His instincts and dual-threat skills make him the favorite, but not the guaranteed choice, to be the No. 1 pick.”
Depending on how the draft order shakes out and how the college season concludes, quarterbacks could go 1 and 2 next spring. That means the Pats might need one of those top picks — or be willing to give up meaningful assets to move up — if they want Williams or Maye.
Maye has averaged 9.0 yards per pass attempt this season and thrown 12 touchdowns against four interceptions.
“The reason Williams isn’t a lock at No. 1 is Drake Maye, who some around the league believe is the true QB1 in his draft class,” Brugler told me. “Cut from the same cloth as Justin Herbert, he is a good-sized athlete with an explosive release and touch at all three levels. He will bounce too much at times and needs to cut back on the reckless decisions. But he has the full inventory of throws on tape and offers the smarts and agility that will win over teams. If Maye isn’t the No. 2 pick, it’s because he went No. 1.”
A different rookie
If the season ended today, the Patriots would have the sixth pick in the draft, meaning it might be hard to land Williams or Maye. If they aren’t in line to pick one of those two, who else is out there?
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“The battle for QB3 status was a toss-up in the summer and it remains a hotly contested race midway through the college football season,” Brugler said. “Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy started the season as my QB3 and still has that status, although the Wolverines have yet to face an opponent with a pulse. McCarthy has all the tools and intangibles to be an NFL starter — now it’s just about consistency versus top competition.
“Texas’ Quinn Ewers has a live arm and continues to get better with each game. That progression is key for him over the second half of 2023 if he hopes to earn mid-first-round grades from scouts.
“Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders has put himself in the QB3 race this season due to his poise and arm talent. With NIL now a factor, it wouldn’t be surprising if McCarthy, Ewers and Sanders all went back to school to compete for QB1 status in the 2025 draft.
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“The top senior quarterbacks in this class (LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Oregon’s Bo Nix, Washington’s Michael Penix) are viewed more as likely Day 2 prospects than first-rounders by NFL scouts.”
(Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
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