When wholesome, Mac Jones has began each Patriots recreation the previous two seasons. So will Jones be the group’s beginning quarterback once more in 2023?
Bill Belichick, who declined to decide to Jones throughout his end-of-season press convention in January, saved his choices open once more on Monday.
“Well, everybody will get a chance to play,” Belichick instructed reporters on the NFL homeowners conferences in Arizona. “We’ll play the best player.”
Last season, Jones regressed statistically underneath first-year offensive assistants Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, who’ve since been changed. Jones accomplished 65.2% of his passes for two,997 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions after a rookie Pro Bowl marketing campaign. Ever since Jones returned from a midseason ankle harm final October, Belichick has refused to call him the Patriots’ quarterback of the longer term.
During his four-week harm absence, rookie backup Bailey Zappe shocked along with his play and began a few blowout wins over the Browns and Lions. Asked about Jones and Zappe probably being ready competitors, Belichick stated everybody on the roster should earn their alternatives; although in earlier years, Belichick proclaimed and backed Tom Brady and Cam Newton as his beginning quarterback.
“If they earn an opportunity to play based on what they do in practice and all that, then they’ll get an opportunity to play,” Belichick stated. “Certainly the veteran players that have been on the team before, if they’re still on the team, they’ll all get an opportunity to play.”
Asked what Jones may enhance upon subsequent season, Belichick stated that data would keep non-public.
“We talked to all the players individually about things that they can do and things that we can do and so forth,” he stated. “So just keep that between myself and individual players.”
Belichick’s feedback about Jones over the previous 5 months have been a stark departure from the glowing evaluation and public assist he provided his younger quarterback final spring and summer season. In June, Belichick said of Jones: “We’ll do everything we can really, to make it as good for him as we can. He’s our quarterback. Lot of components to that.”
In July, Belichick described Jones’ offseason work by saying: “I think Mac has done a great job. He’s worked extremely hard. He’s got a tremendous work ethic in all areas. I think there’s a dramatic improvement. His physical work and conditioning, working on his mechanics, working on his footwork, working on his understanding of our offense, of opponents’ defenses, the situations — all those things.”
Six months later, the day after the Patriots’ completed the season at 8-9, Belichick was requested if Jones would return because the group’s starter in 2023. Before stating everybody on the group needed to be extra productive subsequent season, Belichick stated: “I think Mac has the ability to play quarterback in this league.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com