FOXBORO >> As if the 2023 season hadn’t gone poorly enough for Mac Jones, he was demoted one more time in the Patriots’ Week 18 loss to the Jets.

Jones, who began the season as the Patriots’ starting quarterback before being moved down to No. 2 on the depth chart in Week 13, was suddenly inactive as the team’s emergency third quarterback on Sunday. Bailey Zappe started with Nathan Rourke, who joined the team prior to Week 16, second string.

The move was not a major surprise based on how practice reps were divvied up during the week, according to sources. The quarterbacks did not find out who was going to be Zappe’s backup until inactives were announced before the game, however. Head coach Bill Belichick said after Sunday’s game that Rourke had a good week of practice.

Jones, who hasn’t spoken to the media since Week 12, met with reporters Monday during the Patriots’ locker room cleanup.

“Look, I’ve started a lot of games in this league, and I’ve been very fortunate for that,” Jones said Monday. “I look at it as a positive, being able to stay healthy at the end of the year and finish the year on a healthy note. Definitely a different situation.”

Jones was asked if he viewed it as a positive that he was demoted to third string since it allowed him to finish the season healthy.

“Just grateful to have played so many games here and started games here,” Jones said. “It’s different, right? It’s a different situation. It’s tough, but I always want to be able to help the team, whether I’m 1, 2 or 3. And I feel like that’s the valuable lesson is that I’m a team player. Like I said, I have a lot of respect for the guys in this room and I have a lot of close friends that I’ll be friends with for my whole life.”

Jones never truly opened up during Monday morning’s media session, choosing not to directly answer questions about whether he would welcome a change of scenery or about what he felt went wrong in what was expected to be a bounce-back season.

He did offer up that he was able to add good weight after Zappe took over as the Patriots’ starter in the final six weeks of the season.

“I’ve been here early, left late. A lot of people would have just said, you know, ‘I’m done. And I’m not gonna do that.’ And I’ve worked out hard, put on 7-to-8 pounds of muscle in the last couple of weeks here,” Jones said. “So that’s where I’m at right now. And that’s why I’m looking forward to the next opportunity. I know it’s going to come but at the end of the day as a quarterback and a competitor, you’ve got to be ready, right? So I’m gonna be ready.”

When asked why he felt it was important to add muscle and waited until the end of the season to do so, Jones said he had a chance to work on his “own stuff.”

“I’m doing my own things in the weight room, and I’m just getting stronger throughout the whole year. And it’s hard to do that. It’s really hard. But when I talk about my notes and things I’ve reviewed, that’s one of the things that went well,” Jones said.

Jones does sound open to a return to the Patriots. He’s currently under contract through the 2024 season. The Patriots must decide whether or not they’re going to pick up the fifth-year option in his rookie contract that would lock him up through the 2025 season. That seems extremely unlikely based on how Jones performed over the last two seasons.

The Patriots own the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. If the right quarterback is there, it would be wise for the Patriots to start over with a new franchise player.

Zappe believes he’s earned chance to start

In a tumultuous 2023 season that began with him being cut and ended with a six-week tenure as a starter, Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe believes he’s earned the chance to start in the NFL.

Zappe was asked that question Monday morning during the Patriots’ end-of-season locker room cleanup. The second-year pro ended the season 2-4 as a starter after Sunday’s 17-3 loss to the Jets that saw Zappe throw two interceptions and complete just 12-of-30 passes for 88 yards in the snow.

“I mean, yeah, of course,” Zappe answered. “I have the confidence in myself to know that I think I can go out there and lead a team and win games. Of course, I want to be here. I’ve always dreamt of playing in the NFL, and of course, I want to be a Patriot. So whatever is decided this offseason, I’ll be ready for training camp, and I’ll come to compete and do everything I can help this team win. And hopefully that’s the starter and hopefully we can win.”

Latest coaching rumors

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Monday that if Belichick becomes available, the Falcons, who fired head coach Arthur Smith early Monday morning, are a team to watch. “They are interested, per source,” Russini wrote.

Additionally, if Belichick is out as head coach, then Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is “interested in the idea of returning to the Patriots,” sources told Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.

Future deals

The Patriots signed edge defender William Bradley-King, linebacker Joe Giles-Harris, cornerback Azizi Hearn, defensive tackle Trysten Hill, wide receiver T.J. Luther, offensive tackle Andrew Stueber and running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn, all of whom ended the season on the practice squad, to future contracts.

Offensive lineman Kody Russey, cornerbacks Breon Borders and William Hooper and tight end Matt Sokol, who also ended the season on the practice squad, are still unsigned.