Patriots trading QB Mac Jones to Jaguars for sixth-round pick

The Mac Jones era in New England is coming to an end.

Jones is being traded by the Patriots to the Jaguars in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round draft pick (No. 192), NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Sunday, per sources.

Any trade cannot be made official until the start of the new league year on March 13.

The Patriots had been fielding trade calls this week from teams interested in acquiring the former first-round pick, and it didn’t take long for an agreement to materialize. Rapoport reported that four teams were in the mix for Jones until Sunday’s development.

Jones is now set for a career restart in Jacksonville after a tumultuous tenure in New England, where in 2024 he lost the starting job amid his third season in the NFL. Jones threw for 2,120 yards with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while owning a 2-9 record before getting benched during Week 12 last year.

The 25-year-old’s career in New England didn’t set out to finish with an unceremonious ending. Jones, who was selected with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, led the Patriots to the playoffs as a rookie and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl after throwing for 3,801 yards and 22 TDs with a 92.5 passer rating.

Jones regressed in his second season, leading the Patriots to hire Bill O’Brien, who had previously coached Jones at the University of Alabama, where the two won a national championship together in 2021. But Jones’ mistake-prone play only persisted in 2023, and the second straight season of mired offensive output not only led to his benching, but a complete change in New England that was highlighted by the mutual parting of ways with head coach Bill Belichick after 24 seasons.

In the end, Jones accumulated an 18-24 record with the Patriots, and the final numbers from his rookie season remain as his career highs.

Jones’ role with the Jaguars will presumably be as Trevor Lawrence‘s backup, but veteran C.J. Beathard, who’s held that title the past three seasons, remains under contract entering 2024.

Joining the Jaguars will be a homecoming for Jones, who was born and raised in Jacksonville before taking his talents to Alabama. The fresh start seems to be a best-case scenario for both he and New England, as the new league year is set to begin on March 13.