Bill O'Brien still believes in Mac Jones: "I think Mac's going to be just fine"

FOXBORO --  Bailey Zappe has given the Patriots some new life on offense, with New England going 2-2 since he took over as the starting quarterback. He may not be the answer at quarterback for the future, but he is the solution for the present.

That has left Mac Jones on the sideline and out of the spotlight, with Zappe supplanting the 2021 first-round pick as New England's starter in Week 13. It's difficult to predict Jones' future, especially in New England, but offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien still sees a lot of upside in the 25-year-old.

While O'Brien and Belichick took time to heap praise on Zappe on Tuesday morning, O'Brien was also asked about Jones during his chat with reporters. 

"I feel good about Mac Jones, I really do," said O'Brien. "I think Mac Jones is a smart guy. He's a very hard worker. He's really done a good job in this situation here of being a good teammate."

Jones has regressed significantly on the field since his promising rookie season in 2021. He was pulled four times in the middle of games this season before Zappe was given New England's starting gig on Dec. 3 against the L.A. Chargers. In his 11 games this season, Jones threw just 10 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. 

We haven't heard much about Jones since his demotion, but O'Brien sounded proud of how the quarterback has handled himself and his new role on the team over the last month.

"Look, these are things that happen in the course of a lot of careers. You have some ups and downs," O'Brien said. "He's approached it the right way. He's working hard. 

"I believe in Mac," added O'Brien. "So I think Mac's going to be just fine."

Jones is under team control for one more season, though New England will very likely be addressing the quarterback position over the offseason, whether through the draft or potentially in free agency. Chances are he will not be included in the team's plans going forward, but O'Brien sounds confident that Jones will be able to carve out a role for himself in the NFL.