“I don’t have regrets “I feel like I put everything out there. I gave a lot to that organization, and they gave a lot to me. I’m going to do the same thing here. I have all the respect for those guys up there. They’re my first team, drafted me in the first round and can’t thank them enough. Obviously, we kind of just decided the mutual parting of ways was the best decision for both of us.”
The trade marks Jones’ first career change in teams since the Patriots took him with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 draft. Jones attended Jacksonville (Fla.) The Bolles School, graduated as part of the 2017 recruiting class and graded as a three-star prospect and the nation’s No. 17 pro-style quarterback. He projects to serve as the Jaguars’ backup to Trevor Lawrence.
“For me, it was just about moving on and getting back home, and I can’t be more excited,” Jones stated. And it’s about flipping the page and going forward for them. In other words, that’s essentially what we chose, and I think that was a wise choice.”
After a great debut season, Jones’ professional career took a different direction. The Alabama product quickly lived up to his first-round potential during his first season in New England in 2021, defeating Cam Newton for the starting position in the preseason. After finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting with well over 4,000 yards of total offense, he broke the NFL record for a rookie completion percentage in his first career game with a rate of 74.4%.
With diminishing efficiency over the ensuing two years, though, the one-time Pro Bowler lost his handle on the starting role and ceded playing time to backup Across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Jones tallied 24 touchdowns to 23 interceptions and saw his completion rate, yardage and passer rating fall to career-low marks.
Jones displayed tremendous pocket-passing upside throughout a prolific Alabama career, closing his time with the Crimson Tide as the NCAA’s single-season record holder in completion rate after connecting on 77.4% of his throws during the 2020 campaign. That record stood for three years, as Oregon’s Bo Nix eclipsed the mark last fall.
