Why Vince Wilfork Believes Patriots QB Mac Jones Will Have a ‘Breakout Year'

Why Vince Wilfork sees a 'breakout year' coming for Mac Jones originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

There hasn't been much optimism surrounding the 2022 New England Patriots. They enter Week 1 as underdogs versus the Miami Dolphins for the first time in nearly a decade.

But if the Patriots prove their critics wrong this year, Mac Jones will be a big reason why.

The 24-year-old quarterback had a solid rookie season in 2021, leading all first-year signal-callers in passing yards (3,801), completion percentage (67.6) and passing touchdowns (22) while leading New England to an AFC Wild Card berth.

While there's some concern about Jones in Year 2 after offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was replaced by some combination of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, former Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork has very high expectations for the Alabama product in 2022.

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"I think he should be ahead of the curve," Wilfork told host Tom Giles Wednesday on NBC Sports Boston's "The Gameplan." "... I know (head coach) Bill (Belichick) wants to do things to help him and protect him, but at some point, they're going to have to take the handcuffs off of him and let him kind of flourish."

Wilfork has been especially impressed with Jones' work ethic and ability to command the locker room at such an early age.

"Everything I've seen and know about him is, he works hard," Wilfork said. "He came to camp in good shape. He looked different, he looked mature, he looked bigger, he looked stronger. He's demanding respect from his teammates. ... He's demanding everything a quarterback should demand from his team. Now it's time for him and the team to play for each other."

That's notable praise from a guy who spent 11 seasons alongside Tom Brady in New England and was one of the foundational pieces of the Patriots' 21st-century dynasty. And despite the obstacles seemingly facing Jones, Wilfork believes the arrow is pointing way up for the 2021 first-round pick.

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"I'm looking for him to have a breakout year, honestly, and prove a lot of people wrong," Wilfork said. "And once you get to that third year, now you're cooking with Crisco.

"But I think it's going to start this year. We're going to see some stuff from Mac Jones, starting with the running game; I believe that's going to help him out a lot and help the Patriots out a lot."

The Patriots are putting a lot on Jones' plate this season, naming him captain for the first time and likely giving him more autonomy at the line of scrimmage beginning in Week 1. If he can take another step forward to become a top-15 quarterback, that will go a long way toward New England's hopes of making the playoffs.

Wilfork also explained why he's "not surprised" to see Patricia coaching the offense and provided some context on the Patriots' early trip to Miami. Check out his full interview below, and tune in every Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET to see Wilfork on "The Gameplan."