Here is how the two compare for their first three years. Looks like Mac’s heading for the bench so these numbers are basically locked in.
Mac is a former first round pick. You can get him for a few million next year, and if he hits you can pick up the 5th year option. Very little financial risk. He was fantastic his rookie year when in a competent offense. At one point the Pats had the number 1 seed in the AFC. He went to the playoffs his rookie year, and the pro bowl too. He had better stats, including wins.
And he did it in one of the worst offenses ever, both in talent and coaching. But somehow he’s too broken to take a flier on? How is there zero trade value here? Tons of desperate teams.
Sam Darnold was also a former first round pick. He already had his 5th year option picked up, so you were taking on 20+ million for the second year, and if he hits you have to extend him with real money. He did nothing his first three years. Accomplished nothing.
Darnold is clearly the worse QB, by every stat as well as the eye test. And yet when he was traded, everyone said it’s a good risk. They also said it’s proof taking QB in the first is a great gamble, because even if they bust they still maintain their trade value.
So why isn’t there any market for Jones? He’s expected to be cut in the off-season and sign as a backup somewhere if he’s lucky. How did it go so wrong so fast? A few weeks ago he was beating the Bills…
TL;DR: Mac and Darnold are both busts, but on on paper Mac looks way better in both stats and accomplishments. If the Jets got some picks for Darnold, you’d think the Pats can get something for Mac too, no?
Got me curious:
The pick was SF’s 2018 2nd (2-43). The Pats used that to move down with Detroit, getting back 2-51 and 4-117. Detroit took RB Kerryon Johnson.
New England then swapped 2-51 to Chicago for 4-105 and Chicago’s 2019 2nd (okay, now I’m worried, we all know how bad the 2019 class was). Chicago took WR Anthony Miller.
The Pats then moved up with Tampa Bay, giving up 2-63 and the newly-acquired 4-117 to select CB Duke Dawson at 2-56. Tampa took CB Carlton Davis III at 2-63 and S Jordan Whitehead at 4-117.
4-105 ended up Cleveland’s, in another trade down for 4-114 and 6-178. Cleveland took WR Antonio Callaway.
4-114 went over to Detroit for their 2019 3rd (oh boy). Detroit took DL Da’Shawn Hand.
At 6-178, the Pats took LB Christian Sam.
The next year, with the extra 2nd and 3rd:
Chicago’s 2nd wound up as 2019’s 2-56. The Pats sent that pick and 3-101 to the Rams to move up to 2-45 for CB Joejuan Williams. The Rams traded 2-56 to KC, who took WR Mecole Hardman. After further shuffling, 3-101 ended up back with the Pats, and the pick was T Yodny Cajuste.
Detroit’s 3rd was 2019’s 3-73. The Pats traded down with Chicago, getting 3-87, 5-162, and a 2020 4th for 3-73 and 6-205. Chicago took RB David Montgomery at 3-73 and CB Duke Shelley at 6-205. (This trade also cost the Pats Terry McLaurin, who went 3-76. The Pats had 3-77 and took Chase Winovich instead.)
The Pats stayed at 3-87 and took RB Damien Harris.
But 5-162 went along with 7-239 to Minnesota so the Pats could hop up to 5-159, where they took DL Byron Cowart. Minnesota took LB Cameron Smith at 5-162 and WR Dillon Mitchell at 7-239.
That Chicago 4th became 2020’s 4-125, which the Pats sent to the Jets along with 4-129 and a 2021 6th. They traded those picks to move up to 3-101 and take TE Dalton Keene. The Jets used 4-125 to take QB James Morgan, 4-129 to take T Cameron Clark, and the 6th – originally the Jets’ all along, previously sent to New England for Demaryius Thomas (RIP) – to take S/LB Hamsah Nasirildeen.
I think that’s everything? Except for Harris, a bad haul.