The rebuilding process has begun in New England. And the team plans to be competitive and aggressive in the drafting and won’t be messing around. They are ready to let go of a lot of personnel, whom they don’t see as part of their plans. Another casualty of this process is Mac Jones, who has been traded to the Jaguars for a 6th-round pick as per NFL. However, rumors and reports are circulating that the former Alabama QB could have been traded in the last off-season, before another disastrous season under his belt, per Savage Sports:
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Bill Belichick was right:
In the 2023 off-season, Belichick tried to trade Mac Jones and acquire Baker Mayfield.
Belichick knew Mac Jones didn’t have it.
Robert Kraft stepped in and vetoed the deal.
Kraft’s meddling sunk Belichick, the Patriots and Jones.
Maybe owners… pic.twitter.com/GtTtF5JOXg
— Savage (@SavageSports_) March 10, 2024
Bill tried to trade Jones, realizing he had seen enough, only to be vetoed by Kraft. The reports also stated that they could have gotten at least a 2nd round pick. It seems the Patriots owner had lost trust in his most successful coach when he started meddling in roster decisions.
However, the claim has been refuted by Mark Daniels, a reporter who exclusively covers the Patriots, who asserted that the claims that Kraft undermined Bill and jeopardized the trade are false. He stated that Belichick hired Offensive Coordinator Bill O’Brien to get the best out of Mac, which shows there were no intentions to trade him and no one would have even offered a 2nd round pick for him.
Just so you all know, this is false https://t.co/uy2iz53vfo
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) March 11, 2024
Although things got interesting when fans had a mixed reaction regarding his claims. While many believed him, others felt he was just trying to be a mouthpiece for Kraft and score some goodwill with him. People are debating whether the reports of Kraft meddling and blocking Mac Jones’s trade are true or false. They have been providing other sources, and some even saying this is coming from Robert Kraft who doesn’t want the bad publicity. They said similar reports came before Jimmy G was traded. They called out Daniels for defending Kraft because Belichick certainly wanted to make decisions but Kraft allegedly intervened.
Robert Kraft Had Support From Fans Blaming Bill Belichick
While some defended Kraft and said it is likely Belichick’s camp that is spreading all the rumors and his fans are trying to place all the blame on the owners rather than accepting Bill himself was partly to blame. They asserted that sometimes owners have to step in from letting managers make bad decisions like an 8-time Super Bowl-winning coach wanting to trade Gronk to Detroit. Fans said,
Pay less attention. It was reported shortly after he was fired. Not the 2nd rd thing, but that he wanted to trade him.
— Ryan (@Ryanmb777) March 11, 2024
Another chimed in and said,
Defend Kraft harder. We all know the reality, Bill wanted to bring Patricia back and he wanted to trade Mac, Kraft said no to both of those things, so Bill obliged and the result was EXACTLY what Bill knew would happen. Stop pretending Bill isn’t the greatest football mind ever.
— cryptonium (@cryptonium93) March 11, 2024
A fan quipped,
What part is false, Mark? The 2nd rounder? Because the part about Bill wanting to trade him last offseason and pursue Mayfield is true.
— Paul Lynch (@paul_lynch) March 11, 2024
Another stated,
Believe me Bill never wanted Mac Jones as the starter of the Patriots but old Kraft want Mac for the Patriots to sell jerseys and try to bring back some integrity to the Patriots but he failed
— Captain (@Captain38364344) March 11, 2024
Someone commented,
so who is releasing this fake news? Belichick camp?
— Ashley Zaza (@ashleyzaza) March 11, 2024
A user tweeted,
Belichick fans are rewriting history and blaming every bad thing that happened on Robert Kraft. No middle ground with them. Bill could do no wrong and blame always goes elsewhere.
— Len Berkowitz (@lenberkowitz) March 11, 2024
Other said,
No doubt. But what is true is that Belichick tried to trade Gronk to Detroit. If he succeeded, Bill would only have five rings. Gronk threatened to retire and killed the deal.
— Len Berkowitz (@lenberkowitz) March 11, 2024
The Mac Jones saga is finally over, which means there is an increasing chance that the Patriots will be using their 3rd overall pick to draft a QB. While their heart is set on Jayden Daniels, it won’t be surprising that they go for Drake May or any other first-rounder. Mac succumbed to the weight of expectations of being there to replace Brady. So anyone who comes has big shoes to fill which Jones couldn’t.
The Patriot’s success was built on the fact that Robert Kraft gave Bill Belichick complete freedom and keys to the kingdom. However, dodgy drafting in the past few years and abysmal results in past seasons led to his firing. The new Head Coach and the front office don’t want to go down the same path and are learning from the mistakes of an 8-time Super Bowl-winning coach.