Belichick: Mac Jones made 'dramatic improvement' this offseason
After Mac Jones' standout rookie season was one of the biggest surprises of the 2021 campaign, head coach Bill Belichick is expecting even better things from the New England Patriots quarterback as a sophomore.
Belichick said Tuesday that Jones has made a "dramatic improvement" this offseason, according to Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston.
"His physical work and conditioning, working on his mechanics, working on his footwork, working on his understanding of our offense (and opposing) defenses," Belichick added. "He's made tremendous strides. He did a great job last year, but he's starting from a much, much higher point."
Four other quarterbacks - Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Justin Fields - were selected ahead of Jones, whom the Patriots picked at No. 15 overall, during the 2021 NFL Draft.
While the stability of the New England organization was expected to help Jones' transition to the NFL, most projected the other young signal-callers to steal the spotlight last season.
But Jones led all rookie quarterbacks in completion percentage (67.6%), touchdowns (22), passing yards (3,801), passer rating (92.5), and QBR (50.9) while leading the Patriots to a 10-7 record and a wild-card berth. His completion percentage was the second-best mark in NFL history among rookies, and his yards total ranked fifth all time.
The 23-year-old has drawn significant praise from his teammates for his growth this offseason, including wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and tight end Jonnu Smith.
Jones is facing some adversity entering his second campaign after the departure of longtime offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who left to become the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach.
The Patriots won't name an offensive or a defensive coordinator for the season, and Belichick wouldn't say if he intends to name the play-caller who'll work with Jones.
"I'm the head coach, I'm responsible for everything, let's just leave it at that," he said, according to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston.
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