Just a few years ago, Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones were first-round picks in the 2021 draft.
But now the two quarterbacks are teammates with the Jaguars, as Mac Jones’ hometown team traded for him in the spring to be Lawrence’s backup.
Jones, 25, had a rough 2022 and 2023 with New England but is feeling good as Jacksonville gets training camp going.
“The whole change of scenery definitely helped,” Jones told Jeff Howe of TheAthletic.com earlier this week. “I’m just having fun playing football. I’m at my best when I’m keeping it loose, letting it rip and having that gunslinger mindset that I maybe had lost a little bit of. But I got it back here, and you’ve just got to be consistent with it. It’s good days, bad days and everything in between.”
Jones can also relate to Lawrence in that head coach Doug Pederson may be the best thing for him to help further his career. Where Lawrence got Pederson’s coaching after a disastrous rookie year in 2021, Jones gets it now after the last going through a tumultuous last two seasons.
“We’ve both been through a lot in our own ways,” Jones said. “[Lawrence] has done a good job getting back on his feet, obviously, with the contract, taking them to the playoffs [in 2022] and playing really good football.
“I think it just shows you football is a game of ebbs and flows. At some point, it’s going to come your way if you just keep working for it. I know that’ll happen.”
Last season, Jones compiled a 2-9 record as a starter, completing 65 percent of his passes for 2,120 yards with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.