Mac Jones gives Patriots ultimate draft gift with Jaguars' shocking win

The Patriots might not be playing this week, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot going on that directly impacts their season. In fact, there is a long list of games taking place in Week 14 that change the trajectory of their offseason, mainly regarding their draft positioning in 2025.

Among the most crucial was the Jaguars' matchup with the Titans in Tennessee. Either team's loss helped the Patriots, but the Jaguars' loss benefitted them far more.

Fortunately, the familiar Mac Jones, who has been in for starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence since he was placed on injured reserve, led his new team to a win, gifting the Patriots a move up to the third overall pick next year.

It's just one bump up since the Patriots were holding the fourth overall pick before this week's slate began on Sunday, but it is a significant move for a team in their position. It's even more crucial given that the two teams ahead of them, the Raiders and Giants, both need quarterbacks, giving the Patriots the chance to get the best non-quarterback prospect of the entire 2025 class.

Or, depending on who you ask, they could potentially reap the ultimate prize of trading back and being gifted a massive return for another team in need of a quarterback or a big-time weapon.

New England should have plenty of options should they remain in the top 3 picks. What they will inevitably do is hard to predict, especially with free agency occurring over a month before. How they spend their cap space, which is expected to be the most in the entire league, will dictate how they should use their first-round pick.

There are a lot of holes on the roster they need to address, and while there aren't many impressive options set to hit free agency, there are some intriguing players that many hope they'll be able to entice enough to sign with the team.

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