Fans questioning Belichick, Jones
Welcome back to the Patriots mailbag. This week, folks ask about the quarterback, coach, and the trade deadline.
Belichick the coach is a lot better than Belichick the GM. Perhaps one option for Kraft is to fire Belichick the GM but keep Belichick the coach? It won’t save this year but may fix the years of less-than-stellar talent Belichick the GM has assembled.
— Greg Keenan, Charlestown
Greg, this was something I was discussing with someone this week, and might be the most palatable step forward for all concerned. If Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft can find some sort of common ground on a GM candidate — Louis Riddick? Scott Pioli version 2.0? — then that could help reshape the brain trust for the 2024 season, and keep Belichick on the sidelines. However, if Kraft pushes for a GM Belichick can’t work with, that could send things in a completely different direction.
When might the Patriots decide to bench Mac Jones permanently to try to spark the offense?
— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.
I believe that unless Mac gets hurt, he’ll remain the starting quarterback for this team for the foreseeable future. That doesn’t mean Belichick wouldn’t be inclined to shake things up from time to time. But Jones will be the guy who will get the bulk of the starter’s snaps for the rest of the season.
I’ll always be loyal to this team, but I am being tested.
— Barbara Stevens, Hopkinton
Barbara, I think a lot of fans are in your shoes right now. The response in the stadium Sunday was like something I’ve only heard once before — the wildcat game involving the Patriots and Dolphins in 2008. Miami shocked New England in that one, and the response from the fans was a mixture of anger, disbelief, and then resignation. Strange times indeed for a fan base so used to winning for the last 20 years.
Are the last two performances fireable offenses?
— Rob DeNicola, Boston
For Belichick? No, not as far as I’m concerned. I think they’re two losses that should make Robert Kraft take a hard look at the state of his franchise and the coaching staff in particular. But I don’t think that, on their own, those two losses necessarily constitute a fireable offense.
Chris, I know that fire sales don’t really happen in the NFL like they do in basically every other sport, but is it possible that maybe the Patriots should explore accumulating some picks for the guys that maybe have some value for other teams?
— Greg Cameron, via Twitter
Yes. I think if we get to the end of the month (the trade deadline is Oct. 31) and the Patriots are, say, 2-6, they’d be sellers. There are obvious financial considerations to take into account; they have a number of players who are heading into free agent years. The franchise wouldn’t be operating responsibly if it didn’t at least start to make calls around the league to explore the viability of dealing players like Josh Uche.
Why are all the veterans seemingly leaving Mac out to dry with their silence? Mac has certainly been bad, but he has owned it far more than the running backs, wide receivers, and OL, most of whom have shown far better play in the past than they are delivering now.
— Mike, via Twitter
Not sure I agree with your first assessment, Mike. It’s my experience that there have been a lot of guys on that side of the ball who have owned the offensive ineffectiveness while being mindful of saying the right thing.
That being said, I’m fully on board with your last couple of lines — several of the positions you mention have certainly played better in the past than they have through the first month-plus of the 2023 season.