3 bold predictions for Patriots quarterback Mac Jones in 2023
Mac Jones finishes his junior season as a top-12 quarterback
Leaving the boldest of all bold predictions for last, Jones will finish the 2023 season as a top-12 quarterback in the NFL.
Upon initially hearing such a statement, you can almost hear the eyes rolling from many fans and media members around New England. However, given the upgrades made to the coaching staff and the roster, coupled with how Jones' rookie season went, it's not a far stretch to believe he could get back to his performance of old and regain his spot near the top of the league.
Because people seem to forget how good his rookie season was, let's take a bit of a refresher, shall we?
Other than being the first quarterback really given the keys after Tom Brady left in 2020 and the immense pressure that comes with that, Jones had the poise of a veteran throughout his first NFL season.
Winning the starting job just days before the season opener, he went on to bring the Patriots to a 10-7 record, which is something only eight previous rookie quarterbacks accomplished and finished the season in the playoffs, something only six rookie quarterbacks did in the ten years before Jones entered the NFL.
He finished the year with 352 passes on 521 attempts, recording the highest completion percentage by a rookie quarterback in league history, 3,801 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, all of which landed him a spot on the NFL Top 100 Players list heading into the 2022 season.
Although many wanted to discredit his performance due to who he was being coached by, which is a bit ironic considering the statements being made about Belichick now, he wasn't dealt an easy hand in New England, which ESPN writer Jeff Legwold summed up perfectly.
"In terms of degree of difficulty, what was on his vocational plate and the expectation level for the team (both inside and outside the building), Jones dealt with more than anyone else in the rookie class. And his team made the postseason with 10 wins."
With another season under his belt, albeit not a favorable one, Jones has the capabilities of getting back to his quarterback roots and outperforming the judgments placed on him for this season. The help of Belichick and O'Brien, combined with the extra training and mental toughness he's earned over the last year, will prove to be worth it.
Believing Jones can accomplish even more than his rookie season is easy.