Patriots rumors: Bill Belichick ready to do 1 thing to help Mac Jones

The Mac Jones trade rumors are taking a backseat for now. Instead, here’s a look at how Bill Belichick could help Jones put together a comeback season for the ages.

In the last few weeks, the New England Patriots have befuddled the league in regards to their quarterback situation. Think they were ready to offload Mac Jones? Psych. Several executives from quarterback-needy teams have reportedly said head coach Bill Belichick never actually approached them about the possibility of a Jones trade.

As sports journalist sleuths continue to differentiate what is fact and what is rumor, a new report from The Athletic has come out about the Pats’ intentions in the upcoming draft.

Apparently, New England is interested in adding a blue-chip running back in the 2023 NFL Draft. There are only two bona fide blue-chip talents in the running back class, Texas’ Bijan Robinson and Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs, both of whom rank as top-40 picks.

This feeds into the notion that the Pats could realistically use one of their top selections on an elite running back to give Jones and the offense an edge in the rushing game next season.

Patriots are reportedly eyeing a blue-chip RB to pair with Mac Jones in 2023

Who’s to say this report isn’t total baloney?

Based on the Patriots’ offseason moves so far, nothing concrete implies that Belichick wants to get rid of Jones.

The team changed its offensive coordinator in a move that came one year too late. New England also acquired arguable upgrades at skill positions with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki, and as the team continues to build the running game around Rhamondre Stevenson, there’s belief that Belichick has “shown interest in adding another blue-chip back” in late April.

Looking at the bigger picture, trading Jones could end up fatally wounding the team in 2023 as the Pats have no clear answer to the quarterback position (veterans are taken, they pick too low in the first round).

Yes, Belichick and Jones have butted heads this past season and neither is each other’s biggest fan, but at this point, it may be cheaper and more rational for the Pats to encourage the two to reconcile their differences rather than start over from scratch.

In that case, taking a blue-chip prospect like Robinson or Gibbs in the draft could ramp up the Pats’ offense and give Jones something to smile about in his third year in Foxboro.

Mac Jones 2023 comeback season loading….?