NFL Rumors: Patriots 'Appear Open' to Mac Jones Trade, Teams 'Doing Work' on QB

The New England Patriots "appear open" to trading quarterback Mac Jones, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Rapoport also noted that opposing teams have been calling New England and are "doing work" on Jones in order to prepare for a possible acquisition.

With the 25-year-old's tumultuous 2023 season combined with the Patriots owning the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft, the front office appears to prefer a fresh start under the new regime headlined by Director of Scouting Eliot Wolf and head coach Jerod Mayo.

The writing appeared to be on the wall regarding Jones' murky future in New England, as it was revealed on Feb. 11 that he would "most likely will end up elsewhere" before the 2024 season starts (via NFL.com).

With the Patriots reportedly open to moving him, the end of the former first-round pick's time with the team is drawing closer. Jones initially surpassed expectations as a rookie, finishing with 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns while leading New England to a playoff berth in his inaugural season.

His production declined steadily ever since, culminating in a rough 2023 campaign in which he was benched multiple times. In 11 starts, he completed a career-low 64.9 percent of his throws for 2,120 yards. Jones recorded just 10 touchdown passes against 12 interceptions.

Although he was picked with the No. 15 selection in the 2021 draft, New England almost certainly won't recoup a similar draft pick in a potential trade. Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reported on March 2 that multiple front office executives believe the Patriots would only receive a fifth-round pick or a sixth-round pick in return for Jones.

The exact teams coveting the former Alabama standout are currently unknown, although it's fair to assume that he'll experience a change of scenery ahead of the 2024 season.