Patriots’ Mac Jones Gets Grueling News

The New England Patriots will be without a key player in the final week of organized tram activities and Mac Jones won’t like the news. According to Mike Reiss from ESPN, Mike Onwenu won’t return to the practice field this week and his absence could be a big blow for the Patriots game plan. Onwenu is a key blocker for the Patriots and his skill set is of utmost importance for the Patriots.

The starting guard underwent an offseason surgery to fix his ankle. Onwenu suffered an injury in Week 18 of the 2022 NFL season and couldn’t avoid the procedure.

Head coach Bill Belichick got the best of Onwenu in 2022. The veteran player was brilliant last season, allowing just one sack in the entire season. Hopefully, this injury won’t affect his performance on the football field. He is in the final year of his contract and the Patriots will have to make a big decision.

Patriots coaches aren’t really worried about replacing Onwenu at the moment. They have Antonio Mafi, Chasen Hines, and Sidy Sow on the spot at the moment. These guys could jump in as a temporary replacement for Onwenu. However, none of them can replace him in the long run. Onwenu has a big role on the Patriots roster and the team can’t afford to lose him at this point.

Mac Jones may get more bad news

Jones’ position with the Patriots is a bit shaky at the moment. He is coming off a disappointing second season with the Patriots and Belichick may consider making some changes in the quarterback unit. In other words, Jones could lose his starting job after training camp.

Bailey Zappe is patiently waiting for another change. Belichick used him as a starter in 2022 and fans liked his performance. In four games as a starter, Zappe was able to complete 70.7% of his passes and throw for 781 yards and five touchdowns and three interceptions. Coaches liked his potential. Belichick has yet to confirm his starting quarterback for the 2023 NFL season which puts Jones in a really awkward position.