Insider sets high expectations for Mac Jones after last season's disaster - “Going to be Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback”

After shining as a rookie and returning the New England Patriots to the playoffs in 2021, Mac Jones struggled heavily in 2022 under a new offensive scheme unofficially helmed by the team's former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

Last season Jones sprained his ankle, threw for almost 1,000 yards fewer, had almost as many interceptions as touchdowns, was benched for a rookie in the middle of a game, and had to pay a fine for an illegal hit.

But Thursday Night Football analyst Kirk Herbstreit believes 2023 will be a bounce-back year for the one-time Pro Bowler.

Speaking to Pat McAfee on Thursday, he said:

“I'm not gonna say they're going to be the most improved offense and he'll be the most improved quarterback in the league, but he's going to be in the top three, and without a doubt the Patriots are going to be one of the top three improved offense."

Herbstreit also vouched his full support for Jones:

"I'm 1,000% behind Mac Jones. There's a quarter of the younger quarterbacks that have not had an opportunity to kind of prove their consistency and what they can offer.

"I'm just telling you right now, I sit here and whatever month we're in, I'm telling you right now that Mac Jones is going to be Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback in the very near future, whether it's this year, or in the next coming year, a couple of years… he's that good.”

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Was Mac Jones going to be replaced for 2023 and beyond? What should be expected of him and the Patriots?

Last week, Craig Carton claimed on his eponymous FS1 show that, amidst tensions between Mac Jones and coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots had reached out to Aaron Rodgers:

"Aaron Rodgers almost wasn't a Jet. The New England Patriots made an offer to the Green Bay Packers to get Aaron Rodgers, and when Aaron Rodgers heard it, his agent said, 'No, we ain't playing for New England. We want to be a Jet.'"

While those rumors of replacing Jones with Rodgers were eventually refuted, the mere existence is an indictment of the Patriots' need for instant success in the post-Tom Brady era, according to FanSided's Devin Hurst:

"Going after a 39-year-old, Aaron Rodgers, who has contemplated retirement over the last several years, sure doesn’t bode confidence in the third-year pro."

With that said, he also told Patriots and Mac Jones fans to temper their expectations, given the depth of the roster, or lack thereof:

"As it stands right now, the roster on paper looks to be the worst in the division, plus the conference, as a whole, appears to be the strongest it has been in some time... Regardless of how the Patriots finish the 2023-2024 season, the offensive cast isn't strong enough to evaluate him properly."