After selecting a quarterback in the first round for the first time in his career, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is going to have to determine when it’s the right time for Mac Jones to play.
Jones is not expected to do so right away, particularly since Cam Newton is ahead of him on the depth chart and has experience within the system. But Belichick was asked about Jones during a press conference on Thursday morning, and mostly deflected the attention off the 15th overall pick.
“I think all the quarterbacks are working hard,” Belichick said. “Again, it’s a starting over process for everybody. Some of them have been here, some of them haven’t. They’ve had various levels of opportunity to work in our offense. But, really, we’re starting everybody at the same point like we always do this time of year. So Mac dove into the playbook and continues to do that. Like everybody out there, we all have a lot of things we have to work on — that includes everybody. That’s what he’s doing, that’s what everybody is doing.”
This is likely how it’s going to be when it comes to Belichick answering questions about Mac Jones until he practices well enough to beat out Newton as New England’s starter. If there’s anyone who knows how to say little in terms of concrete updates on personnel, it’s Belichick.
The Patriots currently have four quarterbacks on their roster, with Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer in addition to Newton and Jones.