Pats QB Mac Jones looks for a 'fresh start'
FOXBORO — Mac Jones could not have been clearer.
Actions and words were in alignment for the New England Patriots quarterback on a steamy Wednesday morning. He was among the first players who jogged onto the grass fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium and among the last to leave.
Jones took a few minutes to meet with the media after the opening practice of training camp and he wasted no time peeling back the curtain on what was a frustrating 2022 campaign. The Patriots missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons and Jones regressed under center. Staff and personnel changes were made in an attempt to vault New England back to something even vaguely resembling the juggernaut that dominated the NFL for the previous two decades.
“I think that’s the big word for this training camp — trust,” Jones said. “That’s going to come through trial and error. It’s going to come through good and bad.
“It’s not always going to be great. Just have that as part of your mindset — stay the course, run my race and bring people along.”
Jones and the team went backward in equal measure last year. He suffered declines in completion percentage, yards per attempt, yards per completion and quarterback rating from a 2021 debut that saw him finish runner-up for the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. The high-ankle sprain in a Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the ensuing fanfare that accompanied backup Bailey Zappe, the benching in a lopsided home defeat to the Chicago Bears — there weren’t many highlights to feature.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft certainly would have noticed his quarterback’s occasionally disconsolate demeanor. It seems as if head coach Bill Belichick did as well — adjustments on the offensive side of the ball lead us to the logical conclusion that something needed to be fixed. Bill O’Brien has renewed his relationship both with Jones and the Patriots, leaving Alabama to replace the sputtering coordinator duo of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge.
“Definitely excited,” Jones said. “Definitely think we have a lot of stuff to work on. I feel like we have a good mojo going.
“At the end of the day, it’s the first day. We’ve got to stack days together.”
New England director of player personnel Matt Groh said the team and Jones have yet to discuss triggering the fifth-year option on a rookie contract that could run through the end of 2025. There are massive financial stakes attached to how Jones performs through his next 30 or so games — an extension could put him among 13 current quarterbacks on deals of $150 million or more. Justin Herbert was the latest to join the club, and his $262.5-million commitment from the Los Angeles Chargers leaves no doubt how the organization feels about him going forward.
Does Belichick share that same sort of faith in Jones? Entrusting his development to Patricia and Judge seemed an unwise decision from the outset — defensive and special teams backgrounds are hardly conducive when it comes to a young quarterback hoping to make progress. Jones was asked about the current state of his relationship with Belichick entering the third summer of their partnership.
“I think we’re good,” Jones said. “The biggest thing we both talked about was having a fresh start.
“I think there were a lot of learning experiences that happened last year that we talked about. This year, it’s all about working together.”
Where could that refreshed sense of collaboration lead in 2023? Fans here certainly retain their optimism. They packed the grandstands and covered the hillside on a warm day, dialing up some noise when prompted by wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and reacting accordingly when tight end Hunter Henry caught a pair of touchdown passes during a live scrimmage.
Reality could dictate something different beginning in September. The Patriots are 25-25 since Belichick and former quarterback Tom Brady went through their professional divorce, appearing in a lone playoff game. New England was drubbed by the Buffalo Bills in what felt like an AFC East changing of the guard in real time — it also served as an abrupt ending for Jones in his rookie year.
Maintaining the annual championship standard was always unlikely, but this growing time span away from the sport’s real Super Bowl contenders has felt like a particularly hard crash. The Patriots haven’t missed the playoffs three times in four years since 1999-2002 — their first title in 2001 made that period far easier to stomach. Belichick could lose his next 50 games and never remotely be in danger of being grouped with the likes of former New England coaches Rod Rust or Dick MacPherson, but this recent performance is far off his own personal career peak.
“We have not enjoyed the past couple of seasons,” team captain Matthew Slater said Tuesday. “It hasn’t been fun for us. Football is a lot more fun when you’re winning, and that’s no mystery.”
The road back to prominence could well have started during these two hours under the sunshine. Predictions placing the Patriots behind the Bills, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets weren’t worth the sweat wiped away by a host of white towels. Last year’s disappointments have been replaced by this year’s hopes.
“I know it’s cliché, but just focus on tomorrow,” Jones said. “Recover, watch film — that's how you do it. You can’t focus on the future.
“I know it’s hard. You want to realize your goals, but at the same time you’ve got to be present.”
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Mac Jones says he and Belichick talked about a 'fresh start' before training camp
