After 10 seasons of Josh McDaniels calling the plays for the New England offense, the Patriots will have their third different play-caller in three seasons in 2024. But this time the new offensive coordinator came with a new head coach, which could mean quarterback Mac Jones’ forecast exit from the NFL team won’t happen after all.

“I think the best thing for everybody is it’s going to be a fresh start for everybody,” new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said on Wednesday. “I’ve talked to a couple of guys already. Coming in with a clean slate. No preconceived expectations or notions of who these guys are, and then we’ll build it from the ground up.”

The guys that Van Pelt have talked to include Jones, who had started 42 games at quarterback for the Patriots since the start of the 2021 season before being benched for the final six contests of the 2023 campaign.

Van Pelt was asked if he could envision Jones returning to the starting lineup for New England.

“Really right now, everything is on the table,” Van Pelt said. “As we go through this process, we’re really this last couple of weeks, 10 days have just been diving into who were are, trying to evaluate our guys. A lot of people in this situation on staffs that have been here, they’re doing free agency. Well, we’re doing our guys as if they are free agents. We’re trying to understand who we have here as well as looking at other players out there.

“But right now, everything is on the table, and we’re just still working through that process. When that time comes, I’m sure it’ll be a collaborative effort and we’ll make the right decisions.”

Jones opened the 2023 NFL season on Sept. 10 as the Patriots’ starting quarterback, just as he had the previous two. He closed it on Jan. 7 as the emergency No. 3 QB.

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Jones joined New England from Alabama’s undefeated 2020 CFP national-championship team as the 15th selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has one season remaining on his $15.586 million guaranteed rookie contract. The Patriots hold an option on a fifth season, but the team must choose to accept or decline that option by May 2.

Jones started the first 11 games of the 2023 season, although backup Bailey Zappe finished lopsided losses to the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 1 and New Orleans Saints on Oct. 8.

With New England trailing the Indianapolis Colts by four points on Nov. 12, the Patriots sent Zappe onto the field for their final possession. New England lost 10-6. Even after that show of no confidence, the Patriots started Jones in their next game. But Zappe played the second half of the 10-7 loss to the New York Giants on Nov. 26.

With the Patriots owning the AFC’s worst record at 2-9, New England inserted Zappe into the starting lineup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 3. Zappe started the final six games of the season, with the Patriots winning twice, and Jones did not play again.

Masslive.com reported coach Bill Belichick eventually stopped speaking to Jones, who found out he’d been demoted from Zappe’s backup to the inactive No. 3 quarterback for the finale when the team released the game-day inactive list 90 minutes before kickoff.

Belichick was not brought back for 2024 after guiding the Patriots for 24 seasons. Defensive assistant Jerod Mayo was promoted to head coach.

Zappe has two years remaining on his contract, but it might be that neither Jones nor Zappe is New England’s quarterback in 2024. The Patriots hold the third choice in the NFL Draft on April 25.

“There’re definitely some pieces of the puzzle that aren’t quite put in place yet,” Van Pelt said, “and that’s our job, so at the end of the day, once we get everything established, see who we are, who we have available to us, then we’ll put that puzzle together with those pieces that we have.”

Van Pelt has seven seasons of experience as an NFL offensive coordinator – with the Buffalo Bills in 2009, the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018 and 2019 and the Cleveland Browns from 2020 through 2023.

“Smart, tough and a leader,” Van Pelt said when asked what he was looking for in a quarterback. “You put him in those categories. Obviously, there’s accuracy in the pass game and mobility, decision-making – there’s a lot that goes into it. But at the end of the day, that role is such an important role not just for the offense but for the team as well, so a guy that’s a true leader that can come in and really understands his teammates and gets the best out of those guys.

“The physical attributes are, obviously, important, but if a guy is a great leader and can come in and make good decisions and throw the ball accurately, those are all pluses.”

In his first NFL season, Jones completed 352-of-521 passes for 3,801 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The Patriots posted a 10-7 record and went to the playoffs. Jones finished second in the voting for the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and played in the Pro Bowl.

In his second season, Jones completed 288-of-442 passes for 2,997 yards with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. New England finished out of the playoffs at 8-9, and Jones missed three games because of an ankle injury.

In his third season, Jones completed 224-of-345 passes for 2,120 yards with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.