From Ryan (@malloyrj21):
Ryan, this is a little cynical, even for me. Do I have some reservations about Mac Jones? I do think he’s, to a degree, limited physically. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think he can be a really good player. And I think the comp I was given before the 2021 draft is a very apt one—Jones looks to me, through 20 NFL starts, like Chad Pennington.
Some took that as a shot when I brought it up in the spring of his draft year. I promise you, it’s not. I really liked Pennington as a player, and his résumé can lead you where you need to go with this.
• No. 18 pick in the 2000 NFL draft.
• MAC MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 1999.
• Started more than 10 games in four seasons and made the playoffs all four of those years.
• Completed 66% of his passes for 17,823 yards, 102 TDs, 64 INTs, 90.1 passer rating.
• Finished tied for second for the 2008 AP NFL MVP behind Peyton Manning.
• Was a two-time NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Pennington did all that despite a litany of injuries to his throwing shoulder. He was released in 2008 prompted by the Jets’ pursuit of Brett Favre, and the fact that the coach (Al Groh) and personnel exec (Bill Parcells) who drafted him left the Jets after his rookie year. He made the playoffs under three different coaches (Herm Edwards, Eric Mangini, Tony Sparano).
The problem for Patriots fans, I understand, is that you’re coming off 20 years of Tom Brady, and you wanna believe that this can be Brady again. I don’t see that. But I do think the franchise is set up for a positive result here—having a Pennington-level quarterback to directly succeed a legend, if you look at the history of these things at that position, would qualify as a huge win for New England.
And to answer your question, I think Bill knows that.
