It appears that the tide could be turning in the New England Patriots’ quarterback competition, at least according to some of the team’s veteran players.
A number of veterans were full of praise for rookie quarterback Mac Jones after Wednesday’s joint practice with the New York Giants. Jones was characterized as outstanding against the Giants, putting together 18 consecutive completions at one point and looking in command of the offense.
“He’s getting a lot of reps now. He’s taking control of the huddle and just trying to do the best he can,” running back James White said, via Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald. “He’s just making sure everybody is on the same page, so we can go out there and execute not just for one period, but throughout the entire practice.”
That was echoed by wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who praised Jones for taking charge of the offense and “making the team be a real team.” Defensive lineman Deatrich Wise went out of his way to congratulate Jones, summing things up when asked why: “Did you see the period?”
Cam Newton is expected to return to practice Thursday after missing five days due to a misunderstanding over COVID protocols, a situation that appears to have rankled the team. That issue, combined with Jones’ standout play, may open the door for the rookie to make a late charge and win the starting job. It certainly appears some teammates would be perfectly content with that.
