Former Patriots QB defends Mac Jones amid rumors

Former New England Patriots quarterback Brian Hoyer defended current New England signal-caller Mac Jones amid whispers suggesting the club could part ways with the 2021 first-round draft pick. 

"The No. 1 question is always going to be with the quarterback," Hoyer said during a Tuesday appearance on the NFL Network "Good Morning Football" program about what the Patriots could do with the third pick in the draft, per Tim Crowley of NESN. "I’m going to stick up for my guy, Mac. I know he’s kind of gotten a raw deal the last few years. With that third pick, they have an option." 

Hoyer experienced part of Jones' rise and fall in New England as the two shared a quarterback room during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Jones earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie, regressed while playing under assistant coaches Matt Patricia and Joe Judge during the 2022 campaign and finished this past season as a benched spectator.

Mock drafts routinely predict New England will use pick No. 3 this spring to replace Jones with either North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye or LSU Tigers star signal-caller Jayden Daniels. However, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports recently mocked Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Patriots at No. 3. 

"Being a quarterback guy like myself, (I’m) looking at a guy like Marvin Harrison Jr. and pair them up," Hoyer added. "I know what Mac’s capable of. I witnessed it his rookie year. I don’t know if there’s been a receiver that’s come out in recent times that’s more prepared." 

The Patriots could sign a veteran quarterback like Joe Flacco in free agency, grab Harrison with the third pick of this year's draft and then take a signal-caller later in the player-selection process. Such moves theoretically could give Jones a chance to resurrect his NFL career under new Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo even though Flacco earned Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year honors while working with current New England offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt this past season.