PFT: Bill "has shopped" Mac

[SlowGettingUp]

Jeff Howe at The Athletic:

It remains unclear if Belichick actually assessed Jones’ potential trade value this offseason while speaking to other teams. However, a source close to the situation noted that offseason personnel conversations typically runs the gamut of every player of substance — every coach and general manager wants to know who is available and how valuable they are.

...

But on Tuesday, several high-ranking executives from quarterback-needy teams in both the AFC and NFC told The Athletic the Patriots never approached them with the idea of trading Jones.

 

[yukon cornelius]

That’s not out of Florio’s mouth, that’s from the NESN commentary.
Mike Florio Suggests Possible 1-For-1 Mac Jones Trade For Patriots

To my knowledge, Florio has not backed down.

What we do have is Florio and Doug Kyed (who is a respectable reporter) on one side, and Mark Daniels, Andrew Callahan, and Tom Curren (reporting that Belichick denied it) on the other.

looking for the quote, florio walked it back today.....it began with "even if it's not true....." then went on from there......100% back pedaled

 

[Triumph]

Wonder what poor old Macs doing these days?

 

[Ian]

It is the offseason - hanging onto every piece of rumour is par for the course. Plus the team created the environment for them to be questioned after the ****show that was last year. He also could have put a lot of this talk to bed when he got asked about Mac in the owners meeting and responded with we all need to be better and compete including Mac. You can't say that about a 2nd year QB who struggled last year and not expect smoke.

I don't believe the report as I don't think Bill can afford to get rid of Mac right now and start over after the last 3 years. That said, do you really think it would be out of character for Bill to do this after last year? I don't. It is very much Bill's playbook to get rid of people who don't towe the line (which Mac did not do last year) and people who he thinks are no longer worth keeping (the list is long so I will spare us the names).

Finally, Reiss (nice guy and no issues with him) is one step removed from being the team's spokesman and only reports what the team wants him to.

I don't know how closely you've been following things, but Reiss has been WAY more critical of the team this offseason, more so than anything I've read by him over the last decade. He may limit what he reports based on being able to confirm things, but his opinions have not been watered down at all this offseason, and he's been surprisingly direct in some of his criticisms.

 

[yukon cornelius]

Brady was an established and elite QB. You can say whatever about him and nobody would blink. A second year QB with last year's results needs 100% unconditional support in the media (i.e. what Kraft did). Anything else just invites talk and questions.

The moment Bill said we all need to do better and compete including Mac and did not say he is my starter, he invited this ****storm.

"The moment Bill said we all need to do better and compete including Mac and did not say he is my starter, he invited this ****storm."

i disagree......that's 100% a BB standard media line

"we all need to do better"

"we're on to next week"

"i can only comment on the players on the field/at practice/in camp"

it's a non-starter that folks ran with

 

[Zuma]

Jeff Howe at The Athletic:

 

[203Pat]

"The moment Bill said we all need to do better and compete including Mac and did not say he is my starter, he invited this ****storm."

i disagree......that's 100% a BB standard media line

"we all need to do better"

"we're on to next week"

"i can only comment on the players on the field/at practice/in camp"

it's a non-starter that folks ran with

"look at the last 25 years"

 

[Wozzy]

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with what you're saying.

I think Mac has proven he's not that good. Zappe looks better to me already. I support trading Mac, either for Lamar or Rodgers (plus whatever else it takes), or for whatever asset they can get in return and building up a better supporting cast around Zappe for 2023.

But my point still stands... nearly every team in the NFL will know who their starting QB for the 2023 season will be heading into camp. Including the Patriots if they trade Mac. Otherwise, apparently they won't, which is a bad thing.

I don’t think Mac has proven or disproven anything, I also know the coaches there know more than we do but young players develop… they’re not finished products the moment they leave college. Brady wasn’t.

The 49ers had no clue who their starting QB was, they wanted it to be Lance but he was nowhere near ready. Most teams don’t have two comparable young developing QB’s to choose from.

 

[Wozzy]

LOL - in 2020, Brady had 4600 yards and 40 TD and added 10 TDs and 1000 yards in the playoffs. They were 4th in passing and 28th in rushing.

Yes the run was much better in the playoffs but to say run first team is a lazy and narrative driven argument.

Entering bye week 13 in 2020, the Bucs had lost 3 of their last 4 games... in each of those losses they rushed for 75 yards or less.

In one really bad loss against the Saints, the Buc’s set the all-time single game record (league... not team record) for fewest rushing attempts (4) in a single game... they got slaughtered 38-3.

Their one win in those four weeks by the way... over 210 yards rushing. That was the game immediately after the Saints debacle where even reporters were asking why they weren't running... even a little.

Well flash forward to after the bye week. Somebody (Arians) obviously put two and two together. The Bucs win their final four games by incorporating the run more.

In the playoffs the Bucs led the entire postseason in rushing attempts, attempts per game, yards and Leonard Fournette earns the moniker "playoff Lenny." Don’t tell us they ran “a little more”… they led the entire postseason in every rushing stat possible after ending the regular season ranked 29th in attempts.

Clueless… in a word.

 

[Love The Drake]

Regardless what happens at QB I am bracing myself for finishing last In the East.

 

[Wozzy]

Good point. Had they not done that then Brady would have averaged 550 yards per game in the playoffs as opposed to 350. Sony was unbelievable on those three consecutive 3rd-10 conversions in OT of the AFCCG too.


Right, they brought in the GOAT QB so they could rely on the run game. Brady did only have 50 TD passes in 2020.

They changed to a balanced running team because they lost 3 of 4 games before the bye. They led the entire NFL postseason in rushing yards, attempts and attempts per game after finishing the regular season 29th in attempts. They did that because they were losing games.

 

[n1997y]

Wonder what poor old Macs doing these days?

If he’s not doing the same offseason sessions with his receivers as he has done in the past he is just digging his hole deeper. And we always read about those but this year we’re not.

if Zappe were really competing for the starting job he’d be organizing such sessions if Mac isn’t.

 

[Hyped]

I feel where you are coming from as far as maximizing value out of an asset. But BB has clearly shown in the past that once he's 'done with you' he really doesn't try to maximize compensation as much as get rid of the player he doesn't want there.

In 2003 BB released pro bowl safety Lawyer Milloy after he refused to take a paycut.

In 2006 BB traded away Deion Branch to Seattle.

In 2009 BB traded multiple pro-bowl DL Richard Seymour to the Raiders.

More recent trade history:

2014 BB traded former all-pro Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay for a 4th round pick.

2016 BB traded pro bowl DE Chandler Jones for a 2nd round pick.

2017 BB trades QB Jimmy Garappolo for a 2nd round pick.

2022 BB trades Shaq Mason for a 5th round pick.

2023 BB trades Mac Jones for ?? pick.

BB is a ruthless trader. Sometimes he got good value for his trade, sometimes he didn't get as much as you would hope.

But it's clear, once he's 'done with a player' he will get rid of him.

Milloy didn't want a pay cut after we got Harrison; Deion Branch wanted a new deal (we got good value for him BTW), Seymour's time just ran out here...we weren't paying him what the Raiders did for two more pro-bowl seasons; Moss was done here...he wouldn't talk to BB on a plane...and we traded him to Minnesota where he complained about the food...then he was traded again/released; Mankins was one of the best OL-men we ever had...but also one of the most expensive ones; We were never paying Chandler Jones premier pass rusher $$$..and that little incident behind the police station was a red flag; Garoppolo...if anything...should have be traded sooner and we might have gotten more...but no complaints about the 2nd rounder for someone we would have never resigned; Mason hasn't been that great for the Bucs...and we are saving a ton of money with Onwenu there now instead of at tackle.

BB trades when there is value in not having the player...whether it being our talent replacement level, draft pick, and/or cap relief.

In the case of Jones...the grade is incomplete...we just don't know if Jones is the future at QB1 AND his trade value is currently too low, IMO...what could we get for Jones? I say maybe a conditional 3rd that could turn into a 2nd. IMO, the only trade I would make with Jones is for Lamar Jackson straight up without giving up another first rounder....and that is never happening, IMO. I even like Jones better than any QB drafted last year other than maybe Purdy or Zappe or Pickett.....and this year? Unless it is Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud or maybe Richardson....I'd rather keep Jones.

Basically, our bed is made with Jones and we gotta see it thru. If Jones flames out this year....we will be in position to draft a QB next year or sign one in free agency with all the cap $$ we will have....

 

[n1997y]

No issues with him and did not mean it as an insult. My point is he would never break something this controversial on the team. He is very much about keeping a cozy relationship with the team. I have no problem with that but I know his lane and would look for him in that lane only.

I think Reiss would break this story. But only if he had it impeccably sourced and airtight even if not attributable.

 

[State]

Finally, Reiss (nice guy and no issues with him) is one step removed from being the team's spokesman and only reports what the team wants him to.

He’s a mild mannered reporter who isn’t out to make waves or burn bridges. He’s in it for the long term.

Ahmed’s assessment isn’t far off the mark.

But Ian is also correct

but Reiss has been WAY more critical of the team this offseason, more so than anything I've read by him over the last decade.

 

[Love The Drake]

If he’s not doing the same offseason sessions with his receivers as he has done in the past he is just digging his hole deeper. And we always read about those but this year we’re not.

if Zappe were really competing for the starting job he’d be organizing such sessions if Mac isn’t.

Videos of Zappe with Thornton have already been out.

 

[Love The Drake]

If he’s not doing the same offseason sessions with his receivers as he has done in the past he is just digging his hole deeper. And we always read about those but this year we’re not.

if Zappe were really competing for the starting job he’d be organizing such sessions if Mac isn’t.

 

[Boston Boxer]

keep in mind, and Florio stated as much this morning, it is the slow/down period for football news before it ramps up leading into the draft. All kinds of "stuff" will be reported as the media has to fill time and get clicks. I don't believe he was shopped as it makes no sense...still on his rookie deal and is entering his third season. He now has a good OC so I expect Mac to be much improved this year.

 

[crawhammer]

He now has a good OC so I expect Mac to be much improved this year.

I love how when someone wants to advocate for Mac, suddenly Belichick, the GOAT HC, becomes irrelevant. Like Belichick wasn't there running the entire operation in 2021 with McDaniels and in 2022 with Patricia. Apparently Belichick is only the puppet master when things work out.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Eh, I remember last offseason seeing the videos of Mac slinging the ball around and supposedly "improving"...