Aaron Rodgers to the Patriots would be ‘very Belichickian’, says insider 

Patriots

Could Belichick and Rodgers team up in New England?

The Patriots’ offensive issues were no secret this year, and some think they have a lot to do with the quarterback position.

Mac Jones dealt with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge calling plays, an offensive line that struggled to protect him, and an injury that snowballed into a quarterback controversy when Bailey Zappe took over for a few weeks.

Still, he responded with a major statistical regression in his second season and his decision-making played a role in that.

So how do the Patriots fix this? Peter King of NBC Sports suggested that bringing in four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers could be a possibility in a somewhat similar scenario to when Rodgers began his career backing up Brett Favre in Green Bay.

“Or Rodgers to the Patriots,” King wrote. “Which seems very Belichickian, to perhaps give Mac Jones two learning seasons in the shadows.”

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, both the Packers and Rodgers are aware that trading the quarterback is a possible scenario.

Rodgers isn’t the only high-profile quarterback that has been floated as a possibility for the Patriots in recent weeks.

As of last week, New England was the betting favorite to land Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson according to Sportsbetting.ag. The Patriots have the fourth-highest odds among non-Packers teams to land Rodgers according to DraftKings Sportsbook behind the Raiders, Jets, and 49ers.

Even with the offense in poor shape, New England had a shot at a playoff spot until the final week of the regular season. An improved offense would certainly bolster their chances.

It would be a pricey play for the Patriots. First of all, they’d have to give up some assets for Rodgers in a trade, and then they’d have to pay him north of $30 million per year instead of sticking with Jones, who is still on his rookie contract.

Also, how likely would it be that Jones actually agrees to this kind of scenario where he would have to sit for a couple of years while already having a Pro Bowl appearance under his belt?

In the end, it may not be up to Jones if the Patriots decide they want to move toward adding a superstar quarterback such as a Rodgers or a Jackson.

When asked if Jones would be New England’s starter in 2023, Belichick responded by saying that Jones has the capabilities to play in the league but that improvement is needed at the position.

New England played Green Bay in Week 4, where Zappe made his first appearance after Jones sprained his ankle. After the game, Rodgers gushed about Belichick saying that the 70-year-old coach is a “legend who deserves all the credit he gets.”

Belichick praised Rodgers ahead of the September matchup during a radio appearance on The Greg Hill Show.

“Really no weaknesses with the player at all,” Belichick said.