At this time a year ago, there was no doubt that Mac Jones represented the future in Foxborough. A disastrous sophomore season later, there is now legitimate doubt about whether Jones is the franchise quarterback answer and the heir apparent to Tom Brady.
Instead of a Joe Burrow-like leap, Jones backslid in a lost season in which he was hampered by ill-equipped and underqualified offensive coaches and dealt with an ankle injury, pedestrian weapons, and an outbreak of Zappe Fever. Jones threw as many tantrums as touchdown passes.
Other than confirming that he’s not Brady 2.0, he did nothing to clarify what type of quarterback he can be.