ESPN: New England Patriots finalizing trade of QB Mac Jones to hometown Jacksonville Jaguars

The New England Patriots appear set to move on at quarterback, as ESPN reports that the team is trading QB Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the two sides thinking of a sixth-round pick as compensation.

Here was the report of the Jones trade from ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter:

“Trade: Patriots are finalizing a deal to send QB Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, sources tell ESPN. The trade cannot be processed until the new league year begins Wednesday and he passes a physical. The two sides were discussing a 6th-round pick, per sources. Jones was born in Jacksonville; now he has the chance to go home.”

A homecoming and change of scenery for Mac Jones, who really struggled as the starting quarterback in New England after a terrific career at Alabama in college.

Just after firing off that tweet breaking news of the potential Mac Jones trade, Schefter hopped on SportsCenter to add some commentary on what this trade means for the Patriots when it comes to the NFL Draft, specifically, with their No. 3 overall pick.

“It’s a prime quarterback spot and New England knows that it needs to turn the page on its quarterback position and find a new guy to move forward with,” said Schefter. So, he’s clearly expecting the Pats to retain the pick and find a new face of the franchise.

But he doesn’t rule out New England being active in free agency potentially finding a veteran to take snaps as well.

“Now, I would think that they’ll be involved in free agency. I would think that they’ll add a quarterback in free agency, whether that’s Jacoby Brissett, the former Patriots quarterback, or Joe Flacco or whoever it may be,” Schefter added. “But I would think that they’ll go add a veteran, and then, ideally, go add someone high in the draft. There is your new quarterback tandem in New England.”

Per Schefter, the Jones trade signaling the upcoming overhaul of the QB room is just another phase of the complete overhaul of the Patriots organization from the previous regime.

“They have a new front office, new coaching staff, and they’re going to have a new quarterback depth chart,” says Schefter. “The question is: How does it shake out? But we do know this morning that Mac Jones will not be apart of it. He will be in Jacksonville backing up Trevor Lawrence.”

The new Patriot leadership’s fate may rest in the hands of the young man selected third overall on April 27th with a strong quarterback class and now Mac Jones officially off the future plans.