According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the New England Patriots will trade former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars in return for a sixth-round pick. Jones says that the Jaguars made the lone offer for the former first-round pick, and the trade will be formalized after the new league year begins on Wednesday. 
The move marks Jones’ first team shift since the Patriots selected him with the 15th overall choice in the 2021 draft. He plans to return to his hometown, where he graduated from Jacksonville (Fla.) The Bolles School in 2017 as a three-star prospect and the nation’s No. 17 pro-style quarterback. He intends to serve as Trevor Lawrence’s backup.
Jones’ professional career took a detour following a successful debut season. During his first season in New England in 2021, the Alabama product lived up to his first-round potential, defeating Cam Newton in the preseason for the starting job. He set an NFL completion percentage record for a debuting rookie with 74.4% in his first career game and went on to place second in the Rookie of the Year voting after totaling just over 4,000 yards of offense.
Over the next two years, however, the one-time Pro Bowler’s efficiency dwindled, and he lost control of the starting role, giving way to backup Bailey Zappe. Jones had 24 touchdowns and 23 interceptions throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and his completion rate, yards, and quarterback rating all fell to career lows.
Jones demonstrated incredible pocket-passing potential throughout his illustrious Alabama career, finishing his stint with the Crimson Tide as the NCAA’s single-season completion rate leader after completing on 77.4% of his throws in 2020. That record held for three years until Oregon’s Bo Nix surpassed it last year.
Jones’ first meaningful college football action came in his third year at Tuscaloosa, when he made four starts after then-starter Tua Tagovailoa sustained a season-ending hip injury. He won two regular-season games and led the Crimson Tide to a Citrus Bowl triumph over Michigan, with his only loss coming in the Iron Bowl.
Following Tagovailoa’s departure for the NFL, Jones rose to full-time starter status in 2020 and thrived as a highly efficient passer. He led the nation in completions (311), completion rate (77.4%), passing yards (4,500), yards per attempt (11.2), and passer rating (203.1). Individual achievement translated into team-wide greatness, as Alabama went 11-0 during the pandemic-shortened regular season and won both College Football Playoff games to earn Nick Saban’s sixth and final national championship with the Crimson Tide.
