Mac Jones' teammate openly supports idea of Tom Brady replacing him as Patriots' QB1
Mac Jones has not had the easiest start to his NFL career with the New England Patriots. The second-year quarterback has shouldered the burden of replacing Tom Brady as the franchise quarterback, and needless to say, it's a nearly impossible task to replace a guy who won six Super Bowls with the team.
Jones led the Patriots to the playoffs in his first season and played admirably, but his level fell off a cliff in his second year as a result of an unstable coaching staff and a disappointing supporting cast. His numbers and his performance left much to be desired, and with Tom Brady being a free agent in 2023, some people are openly wondering if the veteran would be open to a reunion with Bill Belichick and New England for next season.
The problem for Jones is that even some of his teammates are openly supporting the idea. Patriots tackle Trent Brown liked an Instagram post talking about the quarterback carousel for the offseason, which discussed the idea of New England going after two of its former quarterbacks - Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo:
Something you don't see everyday: Starting offensive tackle publicly supports replacing his current QB.
#Patriots Trent Brown liked a post saying the team should replace Mac Jones with Tom Brady or Jimmy Garoppolo. https://t.co/cgaCvNIS1o
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Could Tom Brady return to the New England Patriots and replace Mac Jones?
It's not very likely, but we can't 100% discard this possibility.
Brady was in the middle of a much-scrutinized divorce with Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen and his third season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been nothing short of a disappointment. The offense is struggling to score consistently and protection around the 45-year-old quarterback is breaking down.
If Brady decides to return for the 2023 season, he will once again be a free agent and he'll be able to pick which team he would join. As the league prepares for a major quarterback shuffle during the offseason, and with Jones struggling, the idea of returning to New England to finish his career alongside Bill Belichick and the Patriots might entice Brady.
The idea of Jimmy Garoppolo feels more difficult. Other teams will have a higher salary cap available in 2023 and should beat the Patriots in their offers for Garoppolo, who's also set to become a free agent following the season.
For Brady, though, there are more important things than money.
This idea should entice the Patriots as well. Perhaps a year on the bench learning from the greatest of all time will help Jones get back on track and learn some small details from the veteran. Of course, going to the bench is never nice, but there's a lot that he can take sitting behind Brady.