Trade market for Patriots' Mac Jones is reportedly heating up

Despite the overwhelming debate about which quarterback the Patriots will inevitably draft, with the third overall pick dominating conversation this offseason, the fate of Mac Jones has been almost as popular. Because all signs point to a new quarterback coming to town, it's felt obvious that the former first-rounder will be playing elsewhere for the 2024 season.

But Jerod Mayo has sent mixed signals thus far, at least according to the constantly updating rumor mill, as the new head coach initially didn't shut down the idea of Jones remaining with the team or even continuing as the starter.

That has since changed, with the report claiming a decision to move on from him has been decided in a report shared last week. But even with that allegedly decided, there hasn't been much optimism about the Patriots finding a trade partner after how Jones has performed over the last two years.

Apparently, that is no longer a concern, as the latest update from NFL insiders regarding New England's decision involving Jones claims they have been receiving calls from teams inquiring about the quarterback's potential availability with free agency just days away.

"New England appears open to trading Jones and has been fielding calls from teams interested in the quarterback, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, adding such teams have been "doing work" on the quarterback."

This is quite the development, considering most analysts and insiders believed Jones's market would be scarce, and it was hard to argue against that. It's not entirely shocking, though, when remembering how well he played his rookie season and knowing the potential he probably still has to be a good player.

It's clear to mostly everyone who has watched the Patriots over the last two years that Jones wasn't put in the fairest situation, with much of that being the cause of his depleting performance. Teams who may be interested in him likely understand that and believe their offense is well suited for him to thrive in, something he hasn't been afforded through his career thus far.

What ultimately comes of this will be intriguing, especially given the back-and-forth opinions from Mayo about Jones's stance with the team.

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