Report: Mac Jones Traded to Jacksonville Jaguars

Former Alabama standout quarterback Mac Jones returns to his early football roots of Jacksonville, Fla.

Former Alabama standout quarterback Mac Jones was traded from the New England Patriots to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"Trade: Patriots are finalizing a deal to send QB Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, sources tell ESPN," Schefter writes. "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."

The Jaguars had playoff expectations before this past season kicked off, but they finished with a 9-8 record and missed the cut. Starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence also had an underwhelming season, but he's still expected to be the No. 1 option with Jones competing for the backup spot with C.J. Beathard.

Although Jones wasn't the starter back then, Lawrence won the first battle against his new teammate when Clemson dismantled the Crimson Tide 44-16 in the 2019 College Football National Championship. Nevertheless, when the two faced off as starters in the NFL on Jan. 2, 2022, Jones led the Patriots to a dominant 50-10 victory over the Jaguars.

Jones becomes the third Crimson Tide product on the Jaguars current roster, as he joins offensive tackle Cam Robinson and wide receiver Calvin Ridley. That said, Ridley is an unrestricted free agent, meaning he may not be with the team for Jones' Jacksonville campaign.

The 15th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft struggled throughout his tenure in New England, but especially in 2023 as the Patriots finished with their worst record (4-13) since 1992. Throughout the regular season, he was benched multiple times in the middle of games and was eventually demoted late in the year to the third-string spot on the depth chart. Through 11 games, the 25-year-old completed 224 passes for 2,120 yards, with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

As Schefter stated, Jones was born in Jacksonville and now he gets to play in front of his hometown fans and a team he grew up watching. This fresh start with a team that has playoff talent will hopefully put his NFL career on a better path even as the No. 2 option.

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