Rob Gronkowski believes Mac Jones may be on a brief leash as Patriots quarterback

“He didn’t wish to go too laborious on Mac Jones however he needed to go laborious as attainable,” Gronkowski informed host Kay Adams. “He needed to sort of throw him beneath the bus however he sort of didn’t wish to as a result of it’s your participant. You don’t wish to lose confidence in them.”

Gronkowski added: “I might say there was undoubtedly some errors that Mac Jones has made that was most likely introduced up all through the week on to not make these errors. And while you make errors which can be introduced up all through the week, Coach Belichick will get actually pissed off with you.”

Jones’ ill-advised throws and struggles value New England all through Sunday’s loss in Dallas.

Granted, the case could possibly be made that he’s been removed from the lone subject for a woeful New England offense that has struggled in establishing the run sport, sustaining stout go safety, and gaining separation from opposing defensive backs.

Nonetheless, Gronkowski acknowledged that Jones’ Week 4 implosion was not the primary time that the Patriots have needed to pull the plug on their beginning QB after a number of failed offensive drives

“(Jones) received benched final yr and Bailey Zappe went in. He simply received benched (Sunday) once they have been taking part in the Cowboys, and that’s strike two,” Gronkowski stated. “So, if he will get benched once more and he makes one other mistake that they’ve been going over all through the week … He’s going to get benched a 3rd time, and that can be strike three and he’ll formally be out because the quarterback of the New England Patriots.”

Jones could have an opportunity to rebound and re-establish himself as New England’s unquestioned QB1 in 2023 on Sunday when New England hosts the Saints at Gillette Stadium.

Regardless of Gronkowski’s criticism, he added that Jones ought to have the ability to stay atop New England’s depth chart as long as he avoids pricey turnovers and full-fledged implosions, as was the case in Dallas.

“(Belichick) goes to offer (Jones) a very good quantity of possibilities earlier than he actually benches him,” Gronkowski stated. “So long as Mac Jones is displaying week in and week out that he needs to enhance. However ultimately, he’s going to need to bench him if he retains making foolish errors and inflicting them video games.”

Despite the fact that Gronkowski was important of Jones’ play in opposition to Dallas, the four-time Tremendous Bowl champion supplied up some optimism relating to New England’s midweek commerce for J.C. Jackson, noting that the 27-year-old nook ought to have the ability to thrive again within the Patriots’ defensive scheme after combating the Chargers.

“I believed it was a very good commerce for New England,” Gronkowski stated. “I imply, J.C. Jackson, he’s been there for just a few years after which he went over to the Chargers. He was completely stinking with the Chargers. He wasn’t driving in any respect.

“I really feel just like the system in New England — they put him within the locations to thrive out on the sector. They put him in schemes to thrive. They put him in schemes to succeed. … J.C. Jackson suits the mould, and he undoubtedly replaces Christian Gonzalez and helps the protection.”