The Bill Belichick-Mac Jones relationship soured over the course of the Patriots’ tumultuous 2022 season.
And according to one report, their time together may be over for good.
Belichick has shopped Jones in trade talks with multiple teams this offseason, per Pro Football Talk. The report cites the Raiders, Texans, Buccaneers and Commanders as potential landing spots. It’s unclear what the Patriots would be seeking in return for Jones, who has started every game the past two seasons when healthy.
According to Pro Football Talk, “lingering tension” remains between coach and quarterback. Jones grew frustrated with Belichick after he was forced to play under de facto offensive coordinator Matt Patricia and first-year quarterbacks coach Joe Judge last season. Neither Patricia nor Judge had offensive backgrounds prior to coaching that side of the ball.
Midseason, Jones called members of the Alabama coaching staff for help on how to run the Patriots’ new offense, per reports. Those calls infuriated Belichick. Last week at the NFL owners meetings, Belichick was asked about Jones possibly being in a competition with backup Bailey Zappe for the starting job. He said: “Well, everybody will get a chance to play. We’ll play the best player.”
Belichick’s comments about Jones over the past five months have been a stark departure from what he declared last spring and summer. In June, Belichick said: “We’ll do everything we can really, to make it as good for (Jones) as we can. He’s our quarterback. Lot of components to that.”
In July, Belichick described Jones’ offseason work by saying: “I think Mac has done a great job. He’s worked extremely hard. He’s got a tremendous work ethic in all areas. I think there’s a dramatic improvement. His physical work and conditioning, working on his mechanics, working on his footwork, working on his understanding of our offense, of opponents’ defenses, the situations — all those things.”
The day after the Patriots finished 8-9, Belichick was asked if Jones would return as the team’s starter in 2023. He replied: “I think Mac has the ability to play quarterback in this league.”
Meanwhile, Patriots owner Robert Kraft endorsed Jones as the team’s starting quarterback at the owners meetings. Kraft noted he struggled under Patricia and Judge. Patricia and Judge have both been replaced on the team’s coaching staff.
“I’m a big fan of Mac,” Kraft told reporters. “He came to us as a rookie. He quarterbacked in his rookie season and did a very fine job I thought. We made the playoffs. I think we experimented with some things last year that frankly didn’t work when it came to him, in my opinion.”
PACKERS: Safety Dallin Leavitt is staying in Green Bay as the Packers continue taking steps to keep their top special teams players.
The Packers announced they had re-signed Leavitt, who tied for the team lead with 13 special teams tackles last season.
STEELERS: The Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed veteran safety Damontae Kazee to a two-year deal. The club also brought back tight end Zach Gentry on a one-year contract.
RAIDERS: The Las Vegas Raiders have their potential backup to Jimmy Garoppolo, returning to a familiar place to sign quarterback Brian Hoyer.
Hoyer is the latest player with New England ties to sign with the Raiders, joining the team coached by former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Former Patriots executive Dave Ziegler is Las Vegas’ general manager.
Garoppolo is another one of those players who has played for the Patriots, as is recently signed wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and several others on the roster.
Hoyer’s signing could be a signal the Raiders won’t draft a quarterback with the No. 7 pick and focus on other areas of the team, such as defense and the offensive line. They also could select a QB, such as Florida’s Anthony Richardson, who is considered more of a long-term project and bring him along slowly.
The Raiders needed a backup after losing Jarrett Stidham in free agency to the AFC West rival Denver Broncos.
Hoyer, a 15-year NFL veteran, was the Patriots’ backup quarterback the past three seasons. That was one of three stints in New England; he also has played for six other teams.
He has started 40 career games and appeared in 36 others, passing for 10,668 yards with 53 touchdowns and 35 interceptions.
BROWNS: Second-year wide receiver Michael Woods II likely will miss the entire 2023 season after rupturing his Achilles tendon while working out with quarterback Deshaun Watson in Texas.
A sixth-round draft pick last year, Woods got hurt Monday while catching passes from Watson. A team spokesperson said the 23-year-old Woods will need surgery. Recovery time for the injury can take up to a year.
CARDINALS: Former Arizona Cardinals front office executive Terry McDonough has filed an arbitration claim against the team that accuses owner Michael Bidwill of cheating, according to a person with knowledge of the claim.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the matter is pending the league’s arbitration procedures.
The NFL confirmed receipt of the filing on Tuesday, but did not disclose its contents.
McDonough claims he was eventually demoted after he objected to a scheme that would involve the use of so-called “burner phones” to circumvent the 2018 suspension of then-GM Steve Keim, who had been arrested for DUI.
McDonough claims he still has the phone used in the scheme. He worked 10 seasons for the Cardinals’ front office, including several years as vice president of player personnel.
McDonough’s contract was not renewed during Arizona’s recent offseason shakeup. Coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired and Keim was not retained after the team went 4-13 last season and the organization made several new hires, including Coach Jonathan Gannon and GM Monti Ossenfort.
JAGUARS: Veteran offensive lineman Josh Wells signed a one-year deal with Jacksonville, returning to the Jaguars after four seasons in Tampa Bay.
An undrafted rookie from James Madison in 2014, Wells spent the first five years of his NFL career with Jacksonville. He started nine games and missed the majority of three seasons with injuries. He was much more available for the Buccaneers, starting 15 games over four seasons and being part of a Super Bowl-winning club in 2020.
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