Where there's smoke, there's fire. There's plenty of smoke swirling around the relationship of Bill Belichick and Mac Jones.
There's has been much talk about the way Belichick has seemed to shy away from publicly backing Jones as the teams staring quarterback.
"Everyone will get an opportunity to play" is Belichick's answer when asked if Jones would be the starter when the 2023 season rolls around.
After the offense took a turn for the worse in 2022, and 3rd-string QB Bailey Zappy stepped-in with an unexpected ability to lead the team after Jones was hurt, people started to question whether Jones was the guy to lead the team going forward.
Many fans had jumped onto the Zappy bandwagon and thought he was the better option and should be the starter. Ever since then it seems that Mac Jones has been fighting for a certain amount of respect that is given to starting QB's, but he never seemed to get it. Not from his coaching staff anyway.
This off-season it was reported that Belichick was, and still is angry with Jones who had went outside the organization in search of help for what he and the offense was going through. Anytime a player takes team affairs outside the confines of Gillette Stadium Bill Belichick is going to be an unhappy man, if not a very pissed-off vengeful guy with a huge axe to grind.
Well, that's what seems to be happening right now in Belichick's office - the grinder is humming and the axe is being ground.
Back-up QB Brian Hoyer apparently had made his unimpressed feelings of the 2022 offense known to people inside the organization, and he has now been released by the team and just signed a 2-year deal with the Raiders.
The axe was sharpened and that head rolled. Is Mac Jones next on the chopping block.
It appears that is a very good possibility. It is now being reported that the team has shopped Jones around this off-season and is prepared to move on from the 2021 1st-round pick. Could he also end-up back with Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas?
If Jones is traded and it is Zappy Fever in 2023, I have a couple words of advice for him; tread lightly or tread elsewhere.
As far as operating on the Patriots roster goes, If you question the ways, you are limiting your days.
Stay tuned!