In FOXBOROUGH, Mass., sources have informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the New England Patriots are in the final stages of trading quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars. As part of the deal, the Patriots will be compensated with a sixth-round pick in the 2024 draft, pending the start of the new league year and Jones passing a physical examination.

New England holds the third overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, and it’s widely anticipated that they’ll choose one of the highly-rated quarterbacks available, with LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye being likely options.

Jones, who hails from Jacksonville, is set to join his hometown team as a backup to Trevor Lawrence, the top pick in the 2021 draft. Jones himself was selected 15th in the same draft.

Upon joining the Jaguars, Jones is expected to vie with C.J. Beathard for the role of Lawrence’s primary backup. Beathard, who is in the final year of his two-year contract, has minimal starting experience, having only started one game in his three seasons with the Jaguars.

Meanwhile, Lawrence, who had been starting every game until a shoulder injury sidelined him in Week 17 of the last season, faced various injuries throughout his rookie year, impacting his performance.

Jones’ tenure with the Patriots started promisingly, earning a Pro Bowl nod as an alternate in his rookie season. However, his subsequent seasons saw a decline in performance, partly attributed to changes in coaching staff and offensive strategies.

Despite efforts to revive Jones’ form, including the hiring of former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, his performance failed to meet expectations. Consequently, Jones was benched in favor of Bailey Zappe during the last season.

Currently, the Patriots have Zappe and second-year player Nathan Rourke on their quarterback depth chart.

With the addition of a sixth-round pick in the trade, the Patriots now have eight picks in total for the upcoming draft.