Patch Patriots Roundup: Quarterback Blues, Jack Jones Released

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Has any team ever needed a bye week more than the 2023 New England Patriots?

The Pats returned home from Germany this week with more questions than answers after a 10-6 loss against the Indianapolis Colts.

Their record stands at 2-8 and the Patriots are in a bad place. Mac Jones was benched late in the game and his replacement, Bailey Zappe, quickly threw an interception on what was one of the more poorly executed fake spikes you'll see.

Now, Jones is unclear on if he'll start again this year for the Patriots.

"No. We haven't talked about that," the quarterback said on WEEI's Jones and Mego Show.

Head Coach Bill Belichick, as expected, declined to provide an answer into who will start for the team after the bye week.

During the bye week the team has already made a few moves that could shake up, or at least provide options to adjust, for the roster.

Here's what to know:

Jack Jones Released

The Patriots have released cornerback Jack Jones after two up-and-down seasons, which included some legal trouble for the young defensive back.

Jones, 25, was drafted by New England in the fourth round (121st overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Arizona State.

He played in 17 games with two starts for New England, finishing with 42 total tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He played in four games in 2023 and accumulated 12 total tackles.

Jones, who had legal troubles in college, also ran into problems during the offseason.

Jones was arrested on weapons charges after two guns were found inside carry-on luggage at a security checkpoint at Logan International Airport on June 16, Massachusetts State Police said at the time.

In early September, however, the Suffolk County District Attorney agreed to drop the charges against Jones with the second-year cornerback agreeing to a deal that gives him one year of pre-trial probation and 48 hours of community service.

Jones was picked up by the Los Vegas Raiders.

Team Picks Up Running Back Off Waivers

As Jack Jones heads out the door on waivers, the team announced that it added running back Jamycal Hasty off waivers.

Hasty, 27, comes to New England by way of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is in his fourth NFL season which started in San Francisco.

Hasty has played in 39 regular season games and has 410 rushing yards on 101 attempts with four touchdowns and 50 receptions for 316 yards and one touchdown, according to a news release from the team.

NFL Draft Watch

With the Patriots standing as one of the NFL's worst teams for the first time in years, fans can at least look toward this year's stacked NFL Draft and dream about selecting one of the top two quarterbacks.

Or, as is the case in the latest Pro Football Focus mock draft for the team, a can't-miss wide receiver prospect.

As things stand now, the Patriots would have the third overall pick in the upcoming draft behind the New York Giants and Chicago Bears. With quarterback a question in Foxborough, it's likely the team would have its eye on either North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye or Southern California gunslinger Caleb Williams.

If those prospects are picked one and two, respectively, then wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., of Ohio State, stands as the logical choice to give whatever signal-caller is under center for the Patriots next year a viable weapon.

In PFF's latest team mock draft, they have the Patriots taking Harrison Jr. in the first round, followed by Louisiana State quarterback Jayden Daniels at the top of round two.