New England Patriots face unclear QB decision after Mac Jones tension

21 April 2023 , 15:25

897     0

Bill Belichick has refused to commit to Mac Jones as his starter (Image: Getty Images)

The quarterback drama at the New England Patriots has thickened this week, with Kentucky star Will Levis visiting Foxboro on Wednesday after Mac Jones was reportedly offered to rival teams.

The Patriots will be desperate for an improved campaign in 2023 after they won just eight games last season and missed out on a place in the play-offs. And that could mean their roster could look a lot different by the time the season gets underway in September.

Jones has been the team’s regular starter at quarterback since joining as a first Draft pick in 2021. But following an underwhelming season last time out, there were reports in March that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had been touting the player to other franchises.

And Belichick has refused to name the 24-year-old as his starting quarterback ahead of the new season. “Everybody will get a chance to play - we’ll play the best player,” Belichick explained as he spoke about the situation. “As a team, we didn’t perform very well last year. So we all need to do a better job. That’s all of us.”

According to NFL Media, Levis visited the Patriots on the final day franchises were allowed to host prospects ahead of the NFL Draft, which gets underway next Thursday.

Joe Burrow backs Patrick Mahomes after Kansas City Chiefs reach Super Bowl

Patriots are set to be given the 14th pick in the opening round of the Draft, which could see them miss out on Levis. But if the quarterback slides down the pecking order or a team are willing to trade him after their pick, he could end up at the Foxboro Stadium after the Patriots ran the rule over the star.

Mac Jones was reportedly offered to other teams during the offseason (Getty Images)

Matt Patricia, who oversaw the Patriots’ offense last year, looks set to depart the team in the coming weeks to link up with the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff. He will be replaced by former University of Alabama coach Bill O’Brien.

And O’Brien admits Jones will have a “clean slate” if he does stick around. “Fresh start,” O'Brien said in his first interview since he was hired in January. “It's really not anything about what's gone on in the past. That's one of our themes on offense - to move forward.”

However, O’Brien has played down his connections to Jones after the duo briefly worked together at Alabama. “He was there getting ready for the Draft,” O’Brien added. “I basically met him, and he talked to me about the generalities of the offense. That was about it.”

Mirror.co.uk