Mac Jones

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones expects to be available for Monday night's game against the Chicago Bears, per ESPN's Mike Reiss, and he told reporters Friday that his injured ankle is feeling much better.

Jones said when asked if his ankle feels good enough for a return to the field:

"Yeah, I think it feels pretty good. Just trying to work through all the stuff of being able to play in an NFL football game. I want to be able to go out there and help the team. Once I'm there, I'm there. So I'm definitely making progress, and we've done a good job with the treatment."

Jones has missed New England's last three games while nursing a high ankle sprain. The team has gone 2-1 in his absence. The only loss came in overtime to the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 2.

The 24-year-old second-year quarterback suffered the ankle injury in a Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Before going down, he had completed 66 percent of his passes for 786 yards and two touchdowns against five interceptions.

Veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer was set to take over for Jones, but he suffered a concussion against the Packers and was replaced by rookie Bailey Zappe, who has started since.

The 2022 fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky has completed 72.9 percent of his passes for 596 yards and four touchdowns against one interception in three games. His performance has led to some questioning whether he should be New England's starter moving forward.

However, if Jones is healthy, he'll more than likely continue to serve as QB1 of Bill Belichick's squad.

The Patriots are 3-3 on the season, tied with the Miami Dolphins for the worst record in the AFC East. The Buffalo Bills are 5-1, and the New York Jets are 4-2.

Despite the strong play of rookie fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe, Mac Jones is reportedly still the New England Patriots' starting quarterback when healthy.

Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported Thursday that sources have indicated there is "no quarterback controversy" in New England, and Jones will be back in the lineup when cleared.

Jones has missed the past three games with a high ankle sprain, but ESPN's Mike Reiss reported Thursday that Jones expects to be available for the Pats' game against the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

Reiss also noted that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was noncommittal when asked to comment on his plans for the quarterback situation.

There normally wouldn't be much debate about a second-year first-round pick taking back the starting job from a rookie fourth-round pick, but Zappe has undoubtedly helped turn around the Patriots' season.

Jones, who was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, led the Patriots to the playoffs and was named to the Pro Bowl last season. In three starts this season, however, he has gone just 1-2 while throwing for 786 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions.

Veteran Brian Hoyer started in place of the injured Jones in Week 4, but he was knocked out of the game early with a concussion. Zappe replaced him and nearly led the Pats to a win over the Green Bay Packers before falling in overtime.

Zappe has started each of the past two games, leading New England to a 29-0 drubbing of the Detroit Lions and a 38-15 win over the Cleveland Browns, making the Patriots 3-3 on the season.

In three games overall, the former Western Kentucky standout has completed 72.9 percent of his passes for 596 yards, four touchdowns and one pick.

It is possible that Zappe's numbers would fall off over a larger sample size, but there is no question that he has been the Patriots' best quarterback so far this season.

At the same time, New England has invested far more in Jones and saw him play well en route to a postseason appearance during his rookie campaign.

Jones figures to get the first crack at winning his job back, perhaps as soon as Monday, but Zappe's play has made him a legitimate alternative who Belichick can turn to if Jones shows any signs of faltering.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones expects to play in Monday's game against the Chicago Bears after missing the last three weeks with an ankle injury, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.

Jones has reportedly told teammates that he is progressing from the injury and expects to be cleared this week.

The Patriots are 3-3 heading into the Week 7 game, with rookie Bailey Zappe leading the team to consecutive wins in his two starts.

Zappe has four touchdown passes with one interception in three appearances this season, accumulating a 111.4 quarterback rating. He especially impressed in the Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns with 309 yards on 24-of-34 passing and two touchdowns.

The 2022 fourth-round pick produced incredible numbers at Western Kentucky with 5,967 passing yards and 62 touchdowns last year, and he has continued the production in the NFL.

Jones, on the other hand, was off to a slow start to the season with two touchdowns and five interceptions in three games, resulting in a 76.2 rating.

Last year's first-round draft pick had proved himself as a rookie with 3,801 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, leading the Patriots to a 10-7 record. He earned a Pro Bowl selection and finished second in voting for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Jones will look to get back on track if he returns against the Bears, but the Patriots should be confident if Zappe remains under center.

Mac Jones was apparently among those asking questions when the New England Patriots made Matt Patricia a de facto offensive coordinator this offseason.

During The Dan Patrick Show on Monday, Albert Breer of The MMQB expanded on how the relationship between Jones and the team has gotten "a little sideways," a dynamic that began the year before, as he initially discussed on Patriots Pregame Live.

Jones was curious about some of the team's decisions, such as utilizing Patricia and Joe Judge to replace outgoing offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

In addition, Breer said there was "some natural friction there," which got exacerbated by his high ankle sprain. Jones didn't want to get surgery, while the Patriots preferred to have him undergo a procedure to address the injury.

The conversation begins at the 10:30 mark.

Jones' inquisitive nature runs counter to New England's culture a bit, per Breer, because head coach Bill Belichick wields so much influence. As a result, the coaches might be attempting to "send a message to Mac" while he recovers from his ankle injury.

That would provide more context to Belichick's response when asked about who the Pats will start at quarterback when Jones is 100 percent again. He declined to commit to Jones or Bailey Zappe.

Belichick has rarely let his emotions get in the way of personnel moves. But even Tom Brady wore out his welcome eventually.

In Jones, the Patriots clearly hoped to find a long-term successor to Brady; otherwise, they wouldn't have selected him in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. The 24-year-old provided strong early returns by throwing for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns as a rookie and leading New England to the postseason.

Zappe has performed well in Jones' absence and is coming off a 309-yard, two-touchdown outing in a 38-15 win over the Cleveland Browns.

Still, it's premature to believe a genuine quarterback controversy is brewing in New England or that the franchise is starting to waffle on Jones as the starter beyond this campaign. As Breer asserted, this may be more a case of the Patriots reminding him who exactly is in charge.

It's Bailey Zappe season in New England.

Zappe is expected to start for the Patriots in a Week 5 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Gillette Stadium, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. It will mark his first career NFL start.

Patriots starting quarterback Mac Jones has been sidelined since suffering a high-ankle sprain in a Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Backup quarterback Brian Hoyer started last weekend's 27-24 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers but was removed after just six pass attempts with a concussion. The 36-year-old has been placed on injured reserve.

Zappe, New England's third-string quarterback, replaced Hoyer against Green Bay. He completed 10-of-15 passes for 99 yards and one touchdown in his first NFL game.

The Patriots selected Zappe in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Western Kentucky. As a senior in 2021, he completed 69.2 percent of his passes for 5,967 yards and 62 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 14 games.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has spoken highly of Zappe since the start of training camp and told reporters after last weekend's loss to the Packers that the rookie signal-caller "competed well."

"He's gotten a lot more snaps [in practice], which is always a good thing for a quarterback, and timing, and communication," Belichick said of Zappe earlier this week, per NBC Sports Boston's Nick Goss. "So, definitely making progress. A little more experience and more opportunity. I mean, I couldn't put a percentage on it."

The Patriots signed veteran quarterback Garrett Gilbert to the practice squad this week, and he's expected to back up Zappe on Sunday.

New England enters Week 5 with a 1-3 record, last place in the AFC East. The team is in desperate need of a win to remain competitive in a tough division that has seen the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets win at least two games so far this year.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is reportedly improving from an ankle injury suffered in Week 3, but his status for Week 5 remains unclear, as he still has significant hurdles to clear.

According to NFL Network's Mike Giardi, there remains "a fair bit of instability" in Jones' ankle, although he is moving "considerably better" than he was Friday.

Giardi also tweeted video of Jones at practice Wednesday, and he seemed unable to put full pressure on his ankle while dropping back to pass:

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero (h/t NFL.com's Bobby Kownack) reported that Jones suffered a high ankle sprain late in a Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and was expected to miss some time.

Jones did not suit up for the Patriots' Week 4 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers. Veteran Brian Hoyer started in his place, but he left early with a head injury and was replaced by rookie Bailey Zappe.

Zappe, who was a fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky, performed well in his first taste of NFL regular-season action, going 10-of-15 for 99 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He nearly led the Pats to a huge upset of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.

If neither Jones nor Hoyer is cleared, Zappe will be in line to make his first career start Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

After going 10-7 as a starter, leading the Patriots to the playoffs and earning a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie last season, Jones' 2022 campaign has gotten off to a rough start.

Aside from the injury, Jones is just 1-2, and he has completed 66.0 percent of his passes for 786 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions.

Jones was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft out of Alabama, and he outperformed all other rookie quarterbacks, generating belief that he could be the replacement for Tom Brady that the Patriots and their fans were hoping for.

That may still be the case, but Jones is clearly experiencing some growing pains, and the Patriots are already in a difficult spot just one month into the season.

At 1-3, New England has sole possession of last place in the AFC East and trails both the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills by two games for the division lead.

If things don't turn around quickly, the Patriots could be in danger of missing the playoffs for only the second time since 2009.

The New England Patriots will have to cope without quarterback Mac Jones this weekend after he was been ruled out of Sunday's matchup with the Green Bay Packers.

The Patriots and fantasy players relying on the team's primary pass-catchers will turn their attention toward Brian Hoyer after this setback. He doesn't have the same ceiling as the rookie, which will in turn impact the fantasy value of pass-catchers DeVante Parker and Jakobi Meyers.

DeVante Parker and Jakobi Meyers

There are worse backup situations than Hoyer seeing how he has been in the league since 2009 and even has a season with more than 3,000 passing yards on his resume. If nothing else, he can provide veteran leadership and the ability to get the ball to his playmakers.

That is welcome news for fantasy players relying on Parker, who should view his role in their lineups the same way even if Jones is sidelined.

While Parker isn't going to put up the exact same numbers without the starter, his production shouldn't fall off a cliff. Hoyer will look to keep the offense afloat by using him as a safety valve on crossing routes and underneath options, which should work in point-per-reception leagues.

The Louisville product isn't far removed from the 2019 season when he posted 1,202 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches and is probably the most proven wide receiver on the Patriots roster. Look for him to remain involved even without Jones.

Still, he's been boom-or-bust this season. Consider him a WR4.

Meyers is hardly a sure thing himself, but he impressed at times last year on his way to 866 receiving yards in just his third season in the league. While the two career touchdowns entering the 2022 campaign is of some concern, Meyers is still someone who figures to see a number of passes every game.

He's also been far more consistent in his two games this season, racking up 13 catches on 19 targets.

At this point, fantasy players should probably take more of a wait-and-see approach given the lack of touchdowns and his own injury concerns, but the North Carolina State product may still be a flex option even with Hoyer.

You likely have better options, however.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers with an ankle injury.

Brian Hoyer will serve as the starting quarterback in Jones' absence. He took all the first-team reps at practice Wednesday and Thursday.

Jones didn't appear to do much at the media availability portion of Friday's practice, according to NFL Network's Mike Giardi and ESPN's Mike Reiss:

Jones suffered the injury at the end of his team's 37-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Nick O'Malley of Masslive.com described the scene.

"Jones appeared to be in pain as he was helped off the field bypassing the blue medical tent and heading straight to the team’s locker room," O'Malley wrote. "Jones did not appear to put any weight on the leg as he came off the field."

X-rays following the game were negative, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The 24-year-old Jones, who is in his second NFL season, has completed 64-of-97 passes for 786 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions through three games.

Heading into Green Bay for a matchup with reigning back-to-back NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the 2-1 Packers would have been a tough task even with Jones, but escaping with a victory is even more arduous without him.

The Pats have struggled on both sides of the ball to start the year, with the offense notably sitting No. 25 in points per game. They are 1-2 after a 17-14 win over the 1-2 Pittsburgh Steelers, a 20-7 loss to the 3-1 Miami Dolphins and the aforementioned defeat to the 2-1 Ravens.

The 36-year-old Hoyer has been a Patriots backup for seven seasons over three different stints. The 13-year NFL veteran has played in 75 games (39 starts) and completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 53 touchdowns (35 interceptions) and 7.0 yards per attempt.

Rookie Bailey Zappe will be the team's backup behind Hoyer with Jones sidelined.

Mac Jones' teammates seemingly don't want the New England Patriots quarterback to rush himself back from his ankle injury.

"Love Mac [Jones]. Tough, tough, tough guy. But he's hurting pretty good," an unnamed Patriots player told Mike Giardi of NFL Network. "Hope everyone's smart about this. It's a long season."

Giardi reported Jones is still "operating as if he has a chance" to play in Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers and told teammates "to not count him out."

This comes despite suffering what doctors diagnosed as a severe high-ankle sprain in the Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Jones was in obvious pain as he limped off the field in Sunday's game:

Jones has struggled during his second NFL season, totaling just two passing touchdowns and five interceptions in three games. His 76.2 passer rating is significantly lower than his 92.5 mark from 2021 when he led the Patriots to a 10-7 record and a playoff appearance.

The No. 15 overall draft pick earned a Pro Bowl selection and finished second in voting for Offensive Rookie of the Year behind Ja'Marr Chase.

Things clearly haven't gone as smoothly in 2022, and the latest ankle injury could exacerbate his problems.

If Jones is unable to play, the Patriots will turn to veteran Brian Hoyer. The 14-year veteran has spent eight seasons in New England across three different stints, but has only made one start with the team.

The 36-year-old has 39 career starts in the NFL, but just two since 2018.