Musket Fire
FanSided

Insane trade idea sends Mac Jones to the NFC West

By Lou Scataglia

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 25: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots looks on during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 25: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots looks on during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

An insane trade idea proposed by Mike Florio last week would send quarterback Mac Jones to the San Francisco 49ers for a fellow 2021 classmate.  This would be an insane idea, right?

Right?

Last week, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio proposed a trade that would be simple:

Patriots receive: Trey Lance

49ers receive: Mac Jones

Here’s more from Florio:

"And here’s a potential transaction that makes plenty of sense. Lance for Mac Jones, straight up.The 49ers would get the quarterback many believe Shanahan wanted to take with the third overall pick in 2021. The Patriots would unload a disgruntled player who has alienated coach Bill Belichick by overriding the Stepford Patriot programming.The two teams did some quarterback business more than five years ago, for Jimmy Garoppolo. This would be an intriguing bit of potential business, if both sides realize that it could be the best way for both players, and both franchises, to move forward."

So, he does make some solid connections here.  There was steam back in 2021 that the San Francisco 49ers wanted to take Mac Jones, and the argument there was that Jones best fit Kyle Shanahan’s system, which is largely based on distributing the ball to the playmakers and does not ask the QB to create much on their own.

Obviously, they selected Trey Lance and Mac Jones fell into the Patriots’ lap.  However, could both sides benefit from a fresh start?  Perhaps.

Both Jones and Lance’s trade values can’t be very high for various reasons.  The latter seems to have been overtaken by 2022 Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy, and Jones regressed quite a bit in year two.

The 49ers also signed Sam Darnold who is likely more than able to start a game or two for the 49ers in 2023 if Purdy is not ready by week one.

Trey Lance does seem like the odd man out here, and the 49ers would benefit from simply ending this experiement.

The Patriots also don’t have a long-term answer in their facilities, and Trey Lance could very well be that guy.  He’s got a much higher ceiling than Mac Jones and is filled with enticing qualities.

Maybe with Mac Jones and Bill Belichick’s relationship in New England souring, the Patriots could benefit from trading Jones, and maybe the 49ers would be willing to trade Lance to complete the deal.

Home/Patriots News