There hasn't been much optimism surrounding the 2022 New England Patriots. They enter Week 1 as underdogs versus the Miami Dolphins for the first time in nearly a decade.
But if the Patriots prove their critics wrong this year, Mac Jones will be a big reason why.
The 24-year-old quarterback had a solid rookie season in 2021, leading all first-year signal-callers in passing yards (3,801), completion percentage (67.6) and passing touchdowns (22) while leading New England to an AFC Wild Card berth.
While there's some concern about Jones in Year 2 after offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was replaced by some combination of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, former Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork has very high expectations for the Alabama product in 2022.