Defensive star believes not all hope is lost for Mac Jones with the Patriots

Even though he remains with the team on a rookie contract and nothing has been outright said from the organization, the assumption has been that Mac Jones' time in New England is over and that he will be traded at some point this offseason. Speculation continues to back that up, but Jerod Mayo has yet to confirm or deny whether there's any truth to the rumor.

Right now, Jones is still part of the team and could ultimately be the veteran bridge quarterback they choose to go with for 2024 since that has become more relevant recently. Other names have been the focus due to their links to new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

But given their unfortunate luck thus far with free agents they were reportedly interested in pursuing becoming unavailable or not interested in joining the Patriots; Jones could fill that role after all.

The main concern for most in that scenario is the belief that we've already seen enough from the quarterback through three seasons to prove he is more of a liability than an asset to the developing offense. This belief led Bill Belichick to bench him after he went 2-9 through the first 11 games of the season.

It felt like that was the last straw for Jones in New England, at least when Belichick was around. Mayo didn't shut down the idea of him getting another chance and somewhat implied he would, especially since he witnessed firsthand the chaotic start to his NFL career.

There was also a concern about how Jones's teammates might react to him being given another shot after the last two years, with rumors flying in 2023 that he had lost the support of the locker room and the quarterback carousel was frustrating the defense. But that may not be the case, according to Matthew Judon this week.

Matthew Judon believes not all hope is lost for Mac Jones with the Patriots

While filling in for former Patriot Jason McCourty on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" on Wednesday, Judon was, of course, asked several questions about the Patriots and their current offseason status while undergoing significant changes.

One of the more insightful parts of his appearance was his response to how Jones is viewed in Foxboro and whether they've been told anything about his future with the team.

Judon shuts down the idea of the quarterback being broken and cites the positive performances we've seen from his as proof that he can be the right guy for the job if given the right supporting cast, including coaches.

He was quick to defend Jones, which says a lot considering the impression we have been sold about the tension behind the scenes with his teammates. It also says a lot hearing him indirectly say that the quarterback hasn't been dealt a fair card over the last three years, mentioning having had three different offensive coordinators and is now expected to have another this upcoming season.

Many others before him have echoed that factor, including names not directly connected to the team. This point is often lost in the debate about Jones's fit with the team, but it remains a key part of what has transpired throughout his short career so far.

It may not be the majority opinion with the rest of the team, but it seems like there may be a bit more support in the building for Jones than what's been said.

It'll be interesting to see if that's the feeling amongst the coaches, as well. Most of the conversation this offseason has centered around their apparent desire to head in an all-new direction in 2024 with a rookie quarterback.

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