Twice this week, Patriots coach Bill Belichick has had an opportunity to declare that quarterback Mac Jones will be the starter once he recovers from a high ankle sprain. On both occasions, Belichick declined to do so.
It happened on Monday, during his weekly appearance on WEEI radio in Boston. It happened again today, when Belichick was asked a very straightforward question.
“Is Mac [Jones] the starter when he’s ready to go?” Belichick was asked.
“We’ll see where he is today,” Belichick replied. “I don’t know.”
That’s not really an answer to the question. Then again, it is. In a situation like this, anything other than yes is no, or possibly no.
Belichick necessarily has kept the door open for rookie Bailey Zappe to supplant Jones. If that wasn’t the case, Belichick would have said that Jones is the starter when healthy.
That doesn’t mean it definitely will be Zappe. But it’s definitely not a given it will be Jones. And that’s a significant concession from Belichick.