Mac Jones has drifted into irrelevancy after he flopped in New England with the Patriots. The Jacksonville Jaguars threw him a bone, but his miserable clean-up performance in Trevor Lawrence’s absence is proof Jones is far from being a first-round talent.
His career at Alabama largely carried him to being the 15th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to the New England Patriots. He was fresh off a national championship with the Crimson Tide, defeating Ohio State in a somewhat abbreviated season thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. As good as he looked in college, it never materialized in the NFL.
Now with the San Francisco 49ers, Kyle Shanahan is tasked with yet another rehab project in helping Jones re-establish himself in the NFL. The good thing is with Brock Purdy’s injury history, it’s very likely he gets to see some time this season.
That said, it doesn’t mean he deserves it. Just spin the tape from the 2024 season if you want a reminder of why he’s now on this third NFL team and a contract worth less than his rookie scale contract. Plus, the team 49ers also brought in a rookie quarterback in Kurtis Rourke, who helped lead the Indiana Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff last season.
Mac Jones is hoping to revive his career at the school of Kyle Shanahan, but even that might not be enough
Shanahan is known to develop a quarterback and make them appear far better than they probably are. Look at what he turned Purdy into after he was Mr. Irrelevant. Jones is in the right spot, the problem is, he’s a project that may never get completed.
Jones showed throughout his NFL career that he was overhyped. If you look at what he did in college, what quarterback wouldn’t succeed with the weapons he had around him. He was a product of a system that didn’t require him to do much.
When he got to New England, he was the first quarterback the team had not named Tom Brady in two decades. The pressure was mounting before he ever stepped foot on the field. And when he did play, he didn’t look anything like a first-round pick.
That’s why the Patriots rid themselves of the Jones problem before it reached a point of no return. Jacksonville was supposed to be about redemption; instead Jones became the latest quarterback in the 2021 class that just didn’t pan out.
Jones has been relegated from future franchise quarterback to backup since he left New England and nothing proves he’ll be dodging that title any time soon. In 10 games in Jacksonville, he threw for 1,672 yards with eight touchdowns and interceptions. In fact, each year in the NFL, he’s regressed.
If history repeats itself, he’ll be even worse with the 49ers. But this is his chance to not focus on playing and focus on learning. Look at Sam Darnold, he spent a year learning from Shanahan then played his way into a $30 million contract after a standout year in Minnesota.
Jones could be on that same track, though it’s far more likely he slowly fizzles out of the league. Plus, you can't rule out Rourke overtaking him on the depth chart. He hasn’t done anything since his rookie year in New England and nothing he’s done since proves he’s worth passing around the NFL anymore.