In recent days, it had become increasingly clear that the Patriots were looking to move on from Mac Jones, even as there had been speculation that he could possibly stick around New England as a backup or perhaps even as a guy who could compete to get his starting job back.

Well, on Sunday, three days ahead of the start of the NFL year, the Patriots pulled the trigger on a Jones decision. Yes, we have a Mac Jones trade, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Patriots traded Jones away to Jacksonville, Schefter reported. Compensation has not been set, he wrote, but the teams were discussing a sixth-round pick going back to the Patriots.

From Schefter’s post on X:  “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.”

Mac Jones Trade Might Not Help Him

There is some question, of course, about whether Jones can still be a starting quarterback in the NFL. He won’t get that chance in Jacksonville, where Trevor Lawrence is the sure-shot starter.  Lawrence dealt with numerous injuries this past season, but only missed one game. It’s the only game he has missed in three seasons in the NFL.

That’s unfortunate for Jones, because he did show signs of being a productive quarterback with the Patriots. He was a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie, but went downhill from there, ending last season on the bench with a 2-9 record as a starter and just a 77.0 quarterback rating, worst of his three-year career.

Even last year, at times, like when he led a comeback win, 29-25, over Buffalo. Arm strength was an issue for Jones with the Patriots, but as much as that, he wore out his welcome with his visible frustration and lack of leadership.

“The leadership aspect was difficult for most people in the organization to swallow, despite the bad situation that most people agree he was put in, coach-wise, I think his acting out, really soured—not completely—but really soured the organization on whether or not they can see him as a leader all the time,” NBC Sports insider Tom Curran told “The Rich Eisen Show” in February. “And I think it might be best if they move on from each other, from both sides.

“But, in a vacuum, if you look at it, you say, he’s a kid on the fourth year of his rookie contract, it’s manageable. We’ve seen him have good games in the NFL, why would we move on from him?”

Patriots Need Multiple Quarterbacks

The trade of Jones saps any depth from the Patriots quarterback room, leaving only backup Bailey Zappe and former CFL signee Nathan Rourke on hand.

The big question for the Patriots this offseason is how they will round out the quarterbacks on the team. The presumption is that they will sign one in free agency or, perhaps, acquire one by trade, but it is not clear whether they will look to sign a stopgap/backup in free agency and land a big-time player in the draft or whether they will be aggressive for a clear veteran starter and perhaps trade the No. 3 pick before draft night.

In that context, the Jones transaction is a relatively small one. But he was the team’s first-round pick just three years ago, and the trade still represents a disastrous end to his brief tenure.