The New England Patriots' new regime is not ruling anything out regarding their quarterback situation. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said on Wednesday the team will look into each of their options at quarterback this offseason.
That may or may not include Mac Jones, whose first three seasons in New England could best be defined as a roller coaster. While Van Pelt didn't rule Jones out, he didn't offer much to suggest that Jones will be in the team's plans moving forward, either.
"Really right now, everything is on the table," Van Pelt responded to a questing asking if he can envision Jones being New England's starting quarterback in 2024, via NFL Media. "As we go through this process, we really this last couple weeks, 10 days, have just been diving into who we are, trying to evaluate our guys. A lot of people in this situation, on staffs that have been here, they're doing free agency. Well, we're doing our guys as they are free agents. We're trying to understand who we have here, as well as looking at other players out there.
"But right now, everything is on the table and we're just still working through that process. When then time comes, I'm sure it'll be a collaborative effort and we'll make the right decisions."
As Van Pelt alluded to, the Patriots are still trying to figure out who they are and what they want to be in all three phases. Will they be a run- or pass-first team? Will they lean on their offense or will the defense be the team's strength? Those questions and more will be determined during what will be a busy offseason in New England.
That process will also include looking at the quarterbacks who may be available in free agency, the draft or via a trade. Kirk Cousins headlines the list of possible free agent quarterbacks. Mason Rudolph is a name to keep an eye on, too, given how well he played for the Steelers down the stretch last season.
At this point, there's no reason to publicly rule out Jones, who as a rookie was named to the Pro Bowl. While his career has endured a downward spiral since then, it's not like the Patriots surrounded him with much to work with. It's feasible that a new coaching staff and an upgraded roster could help Jones get back to his 2021 form.
Regardless, it's safe to say that Jones will be entrenched in a position battle if he is still on the Patriots' roster this summer.
