Report: Patriots' Bill Belichick shopped Mac Jones amid 'tension'

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Long-simmering rumors of tension between the Patriots' Bill Belichick and Mac Jones continued to intensify Tuesday with a report that the longtime head coach has gone so far as to bring up his starting quarterback in trade discussions with other teams amid dysfunction "at a deeper level" between the two.

According to ProFootballTalk, Belichick has shopped Jones to "multiple teams" since the end of the 2022 NFL season, with the Raiders, Texans, Buccaneers and Commanders listed as potential destinations.

That news comes after reports emerged late last week that Jones reached out to offensive coaches at his alma mater, Alabama, to seek advice during last season as the Patriots' offense regressed under playcaller Matt Patricia, a longtime defensive coach. According to NBC Sports Boston, Belichick was furious at Jones' perceived "disloyalty."

Despite Bill O'Brien's return to the Patriots as offensive coordinator, which was widely regarded by outside observers as an implicit endorsement of Jones — O'Brien most recently held the same job at Alabama — it is still an open question whether Belichick and Jones can resolve their friction, which multiple reports claim is still very much present. Belichick has not verbally committed to Jones as his starting quarterback next season.

[McKenna: Bill Belichick's new version of The Patriot Way is full of inconsistencies]

Issues with Patricia's handling of the offense also reportedly factored into the surprise release of Pats backup QB Brian Hoyer earlier this offseason. Hoyer reportedly agreed to sign with the Raiders, coached by former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, on Tuesday.

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Hoyer joins another former Patriots backup, Jimmy Garoppolo, on the Raiders' depth chart. As for the other three teams mentioned as Jones trade destinations, the Buccaneers signed Baker Mayfield in free agency, the Texans are expected to select a quarterback with the second overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and the Commanders have publicly committed to Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett as the candidates to be their starting quarterback next season.

[Robert Kraft: Lamar Jackson interested in Patriots per Meek Mill; up to Bill Belichick]

Patriots owner Robert Kraft publicly flirted with the idea of adding Lamar Jackson, who has requested a trade from the Ravens, during the NFL's annual meetings last week. But Kraft also endorsed Jones and made it clear that Belichick would be making the choice on whether to pursue Jackson, which the Patriots reportedly will not be doing.

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