There won’t be a return of Mac Jones to the Patriots.
Jones was traded Sunday to the Jaguars for a late-round draft pick, according to multiple reports.
The trade cannot become official until Wednesday’s start of the new league year.
The trade ends a disappointing three-year run for Jones as the Patriots starting quarterback.
After he was the No. 15 overall pick – and fifth quarterback taken – in the 2021 draft, Jones went 18-24 with 46 touchdowns and 36 touchdowns, leading the Patriots to a playoff berth as a rookie before he was benched multiple times over the last two years for Bailey Zappe.
It is unlikely that Jones’ presence would have deterred the new-look Patriots from pursuing a new starting quarterback in free agency and/or the draft.
But now the job officially is open, which could impact the Patriots’ plans with the No. 3 pick and make it less likely that the Giants can trade up from No. 6 for Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy.
The trade also sets a price for the Jets as they try to trade fellow 2021 draft pick Zach Wilson, whose three-year tenure went even worse than Jones’.
In fact, five of Jones’ 18 wins came against the Jets.
The Jets gave Wilson and his agent permission to seek a trade.