On a new episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast, former Patriot Rodney Harrison explains what was missing from New England’s defense this season
Mac Jones was the best rookie quarterback in the NFL this season and one of the biggest reasons why the New England Patriots returned to the AFC playoffs and competed for the division title.
The University of Alabama product completed 67.6 percent of his pass attempts for 3,801 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
NBC Sports analyst Rodney Harrison joined our Tom E. Curran on the latest episode of NBC Sports Boston's "Patriots Talk Podcast. The Patriots Hall of Famer and two-time Super Bowl champion was impressed with Jones' rookie campaign overall.
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"I thought he was very solid, to be honest with you," Harrison explained. "A young guy coming in there as a rookie having to take over the reins from Tom Brady -- I thought he came in and was humble. He worked extremely hard. I thought he gained the respect of the locker room.
"It's so hard to do, not only as a veteran player coming in there, but as a rookie trying to establish yourself and maybe change the perception of what people may have about you when you were in college. You won a national championship and now you have to come in and prove yourself, and that's exactly what he did. I love the kid. I love his work ethic. I love his mentality."
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Harrison did highlight one area where Jones needs to improve throughout the offseason.
"The one thing I would say is he needs to work on his body, physically. He has to to get stronger, because he looks weak and he looks frail. After this offseason, he should come back at least 10 pounds heavier, because that will helpful down the road in the season."
Some of the league's best quarterbacks are more athletic and have stronger arms than Jones -- guys such as Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, etc. Can the Patriots win with a quarterback like Jones with a higher football IQ and an average (or slightly better) arm?
"Absolutely, just look at what he did as a rookie this year. They were right there in the playoff hunt," Harrison said. "They went to Buffalo (in the postseason) and didn't have enough on the defensive side of the ball. I just didn't think they were good enough overall as a team to compete with the Buffalo Bills. You can win with a quarterback who is smart, doesn't turn the ball over, a run game, a good offensive line, a good defense. But you have to have those things in order to win."
The Patriots have several roster weaknesses to address in the offseason. They need a true No. 1 wide receiver, more athleticism at linebacker, additional depth at corner, etc. One position they don't need to upgrade is quarterback. Jones' excellent rookie season has given the team hope for a bright future at the most important position in the sport.
