The New England Patriots will eventually hand the keys to the franchise over to former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, as the young gunslinger’s combination of accuracy and production made him an ideal fit for the New England offense and worthy of the No. 15 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Unfortunately, Jones likely won’t see the field very early in his career, as Cam Newton will likely be penciled in as the Week 1 starter while Jones takes some time to get adjusted to the professional game.
Jones has plenty of positive traits, as his accuracy down the field, arm talent, and willingness to fit the ball into tight windows all stand out.
While he has impressed so far at OTAs, he needs a bit more fine-tuning.
Jones should use his first few weeks of practice to address these key areas of need, as trying to identify his problems as a young quarterback and looking to fix them could help speed up the transition from Cam to Mac.
Mac Jones, to me, was as advertised. Consistently accurate, putting the football on people’s faces. Threw with anticipation. Moments where he had the football on targets as soon as they came out of their breaks. Caught Matt LaCosse by surprise with one up the seam.
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) May 27, 2021
Patriots QB Mac Jones must work on these 3 things.
3. Pocket presence
As odd as it sounds, pocket presence is both a strength and weakness of Jones’ game. He has shown that he has great pocket footwork and can evade pressure to deliver the ball quickly. However, when the pocket starts to collapse, his flaws and faux pas start to show, which isn’t odd for a one-year starter.
Jones can get very nervous in the pocket, often bailing or making ill-advised throws when A-gap pressure forces him off his spot. With 5-stars playing against a bunch of future car salesmen, he can get away with that. In the NFL, he needs to figure out how to navigate pressure better.
Patriots QB Mac Jones must calm down in the pocket.
One of the main issues with rookie quarterbacks as they try to adapt to life in the pros is the increased pressure rate. Aaron Donald breathing down your next just hits different. Jones would be a complete deer in the proverbial headlights if he was the Week 1 starter because of this.
Jones already has great pocket footwork, so he has a very strong foundation. Slowing down the internal clock will be integral to Jones’ success at the professional level. Checking this box might take some time, but the coaching staff needs to hammer this point home.
2. Playmaking on the move
When Jones was being mocked to the San Francisco 49ers, the reason there was such an outcry was the comparison to Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Justin Fields, where Jones was clearly the worst athlete of the bunch. Athleticism is becoming more important with each passing day.
In an age where less practice time means worse offensive lines, mobility is more important than ever, as evidenced by the fact Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes have been thriving over the last few seasons. Jones can’t be immobile in the pocket AND lead the Patriots for the next 10 years.
Patriots QB Mac Jones must get more athletic.
“But what about Tom Brady?” I hear you ask. The key factor missing in that debate is that Brady is TOM BRADY and Jones needs to prove he can even tread water in the league. Adding this new dimension to his game could help endear him to Belichick and the coaching staff by fixing a huge flaw.
We know Jones can spin the rock. You don’t put up those sorts of numbers and run the table in the SEC without some arm talent. The key to long-term success in the NFL starts and ends with his ability to improve on areas where he struggles, and becoming something other than a lead-footed pocket passer should be a goal he can aspire to.
1. Playbook knowledge
As has been proven thanks to his stint in Atlanta, Steve Sarkisian’s offense is better suited to the collegiate ranks than the pro level. Jones made some very impressive throws on film with regularity, but Alabama’s passing game was one of the most idiot-proof systems in the country given all of the moving parts.
An inordinate amount of passes from Jones were either screens, RPOs with predetermined reads, or go routes. Throw into that a wide receiver core that had four Top-15 picks in his 2019 film and a Heisman winner in his 2020 film and you have a system that didn’t prepare him well for life in the pros.
Patriots QB Mac Jones must master Josh McDaniels’ playbook.
Jones will need to master the ability to go through his reads quickly and make good decisions with the ball. He did that in college, but the dizzying speed of the NFL will be a challenge. Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne are solid, but they won’t bail him out like Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle in college.
Newton is the starter right now, but there is no telling when the switch will be made. It all depends on how long it takes Jones to show he has the mental and physical aptitude for the position. By fixing these areas of need, he could end up taking that role sooner rather than later.
Patriots: No way Bill Belichick tries two-QB system with Mac Jones and Cam Newton
Will Patriots coach Bill Belichick use Mac Jones as his quarterback between the 20s before switching to Cam Newton in the red zone? Hopefully not.