FOXBORO — Ahead of Sunday’s kickoff against the Jaguars, which will reunite the Patriots with former starting quarterback Mac Jones for the first time since his trade, Jerod Mayo said he hopes Jones becomes a great quarterback.

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“I’m good friends with Mac. I think he’s a great guy,” Mayo said. “Hopefully he turns into a great quarterback.”

Mayo mentioned Jones in response to a question regarding the Patriots’ plan for Drake Maye, and whether Jones’ failed stint in New England informed how the team wanted to develop Maye.

“I didn’t really think about it that way,” Mayo said. “I think every situation with a first-year quarterback is its own unique situation.”

In his final season with the Patriots, Jones was benched four times while facing a steady diet of pressure in almost every game. This season, the Patriots have allowed pressure on more than 40% of their quarterbacks’ dropbacks in every game, regardless of whether Maye or Jacoby Brissett started. Maye made his NFL starting debut on Sunday, passing for 233 yards, the most by a Patriots quarterback this season, while the offense scored a season-high 21 points. Maye also took four sacks and eight total quarterback hits.

Jones, a former first-round pick in 2021, was traded to Jacksonville in early March for a sixth-round pick. Since joining the Jaguars, Jones has backed up starter Trevor Lawrence in every game.

Both teams will meet Sunday with a 1-5 record.