Mac Jones will look to rise in the NFL quarterback rankings with a strong sophomore season. If you ask Ted Johnson, the New England Patriots signal-caller already has surpassed one of the most dynamic QBs in the league.
Appearing on NBC Sports Boston's Early Edition on Thursday, Johnson said he'd take Jones over Arizona Cardinals dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray.
Perry: Why Stevenson will soon be considered a top-10 running back
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"Look, I was a big fan of Kyler Murray coming out of college. But I've seen enough where I'm a little bit hesitant to go all-in on Kyler Murray. I'm going to go with Mac Jones," the former Patriots linebacker said.
"What I saw from Mac Jones, he's a leader, he is completely bought into the system. He loves this football team. I just feel his intangibles are off the chart. His decision-making and his accuracy are better than Kyler Murray.
"(Murray) has a better skill set than what Mac Jones has, but at the end of the day it's about decision-making and it's about accuracy and it's about being a good leader. I think Mac Jones is better than Kyler Murray at those three things."
On the surface, it seems like a pretty bold take from Johnson. Murray earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019 and has been a Pro Bowler in two of his three NFL seasons. Last year with the Cardinals, the 24-year-old totaled 3,787 yards and 24 touchdowns through the air. He added 423 yards for five TDs on the ground and in 2020, he rushed for 819 yards and a whopping 11 TDs.
New England Patriots
Jones doesn't have the mobility to duplicate those numbers, but Johnson has a point when he mentions his decision-making and accuracy. The Alabama product impressed in both of those categories during his Pro Bowl rookie campaign. The expectation is that he will improve take a significant step forward in Year 2 after tallying 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2021.
Even if Jones isn't quite at Murray's level just yet, all signs point toward him getting there sooner rather than later. Some within the Patriots organization even went as far as to say he's reminded them of Tom Brady with his strong spring.
It's safe to say the expectations are high heading into 2022.