National Football League

Could Hendon Hooker or Will Levis replace Mac Jones as Patriots’ starting QB?

Published Apr. 27, 2023 10:25 a.m. ET

It is most likely that the New England Patriots come away from the 2023 NFL Draft without a new quarterback. Their needs at tackle and cornerback match nicely with the depth at those positions — and that's the direction the team could and probably should go.

But New England coaches have obfuscated with clichés when asked about quarterback Mac Jones. They just can't seem to say: Mac is our quarterback.

Bill Belichick said there will be competition at the quarterback spot and "they'll all get an opportunity to play." New offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien seemed unwilling to say Jones' name during an offseason media appearance. Instead, he answered every question about Jones with an answer that included the phrase "clean slate."

Bailey Zappe could legitimately fight for the QB1 job with Jones, but Jones would remain the favorite. Because while the organization isn't as high on Jones as it was a year ago, there's a reason why he went in the first round and Zappe went in the fourth. Jones simply has more starting-caliber traits than Zappe.

But there have been other signs that the Patriots are at least curious about replacing Jones.

Bill Belichick reportedly shopped Mac Jones this offseason

Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe react to the report that Bill Belichick has shopped Mac Jones around to other teams this offseason.

A Patriots source confirmed the multiple reports that Kentucky quarterback Will Levis met with the team for a top-30 visit. While Levis had a strong interview in New England, he didn't wow team executives to a level where they are prepared to select him at No. 14 overall and trigger a massive shift in their quarterback plans.

If New England were to target a quarterback in this class, it might look at Hendon Hooker, who is a favorite of at least one staffer. He doesn't make sense for the team where it's currently picking in the first round.

But Day 2? Maybe.

The reason why Hooker appeals more than Levis — from my perspective — is obvious. First of all, New England could possibly land Hooker at No. 46 overall. You never know with quarterbacks — Malik Willis slid to No. 86 last year, after all. If the Patriots spent a Day 2 pick on Hooker, they could give Jones more time to prove himself in 2023, given that Hooker is going to spend the bulk of the season recovering from his ACL injury. If Jones excels next season, the team will have every reason to keep Hooker on the bench to learn behind Jones. It's possible that Hooker would benefit from a year on the bench anyway, given that Tennessee's offense is unique and fairly simple for a quarterback.

It's a win for Hooker. And it's another chance for Jones. Maybe they'd coexist for a year.

New England could get to a spot where it has to decide whether to extend Jones. Maybe the team realizes — much earlier than the end of Jones' contract — that he's not the guy long-term. New England could trade him and transition to Hooker by 2024.

Would Jones like it? No, of course not. But — thinking like Belichick here — Jones doesn't really have any power to do anything about it. He needs to play well to gain leverage, and Jones is fresh off a brutal season. So New England can put him into a tough position to see if he'll sink or swim. If he's sensational under new OC O'Brien, the Patriots would have the tough decision of which QB to trade: Jones or Hooker. But if Jones flops, then at least the team has a plan in place to get another young quarterback developed in time to potentially replace him.

It's not a foolproof plan. But it's better than drafting Levis, who arguably isn't any more pro-ready than Hooker. Because if the Patriots draft Levis, they'd likely have to trade Jones almost immediately.

The reality, again, is that New England seems much more likely to pursue a tackle like Tennessee's Darnell Wright or a cornerback like Penn State's Joey Porter Jr. But if we're talking quarterbacks, then let's talk about the right one for New England.

That's Hooker not Levis.

Prior to joining FOX Sports as the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @McKennAnalysis.

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