Now, Jones did prove many things beyond a doubt. That he went at least two rounds too early in the 2021 draft . . . that a quarterback cannot succeed throwing only changeups . . . that Bill Belichick can hold a ferocious grudge against his own mistakes.

What the current 49ers backup, now on Team No. 3, did not prove is that he was the answer to any other question beyond, “Which noodle-armed QB is definitely not the Patriots’ quarterback of the future?” (Bailey Zappe is also an acceptable answer. What was Belichick thinking with that post-Brady QB situation?)

That was a Hall-of-Fame-level Freezing Cold Take by me. I should have known better regarding Jones, whose physical skills were subpar and his football acuity exaggerated by the Alabama hype machine even after the promising first half of his rookie season.

The Mac whiff was perhaps the harshest reminder that the high hopes of summer and minicamps and no-pads quasi-football are often proven false by the blunt force of September and beyond.

So, as Mike Vrabel’s revamped Patriots wrapped up their eight-week offseason program with their final minicamp practice Tuesday, caution is the word. We’re trying to keep those expectations . . . well, tempered.

But because we’re still all friends here, we can acknowledge another truth: Staying coolly rational about this team is not easy, because just about everything — from the vibes to the talent level to the coaching staff to the overall professionalism — is clearly light-years better.

A skeptic — or a realist — might note that it would be hard to be worse. Jerod Mayo is a Football Guy through and through, but he would have been over his head as a head coach even if he had not been saddled with a staff made up of misfit toys and the worst roster in the league. In retrospect, it was somewhere between damning and nuts that the Krafts thought he was ready to run an NFL operation, let alone succeed Belichick. It’s a wonder his Patriots won four games.

The hiring of Vrabel — a proven, commanding, and respected head coach — and an experienced staff that includes Josh McDaniels, Doug Marrone, and Thomas Brown gives the Patriots a high baseline of professionalism that was lacking last season, and frankly, in the last season or two of Belichick’s reign, as well.

The vast upgrade in coaching competence makes it challenging to heed those pleas for caution. And it’s darned near impossible to modulate enthusiasm for the revamped roster and the serious upgrades in talent at multiple positions on both sides of the ball.

Big-bucks free agent signing Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, back from his scary blot-clot issues, have become fast friends and would-be wreakers-of-havoc at defensive tackle. They’re the fulcrum of what should be a vastly improved defense, with Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis forming a potentially superb cornerback tandem to hold down the back end.

There are tough-to-resist hopes for some holdovers, too, such as versatile Marte Mapu and veteran Kyle Dugger, who should be put in more positions to play to his strengths.

The offense should be vastly improved, and not only because it couldn’t get much worse. Drake Maye, who has all the measurables and charisma that Jones lacked, should make a leap in Year 2 as McDaniels tailors the system to the quarterback’s vast skills.

Now that he’s back on dry land, veteran receiver Stefon Diggs looks healthy and quick 7½ months after suffering a torn ACL, and the draft brought much-needed skill-position reinforcements in running back TreVeyon Henderson (I loved this pick even though the position wasn’t a high-priority need) and receiver Kyle Williams, who by all accounts looked fast and like a fast learner.

We’ll find out if No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell is a left tackle or a guard in disguise once the real games begin. But the “Hey, It Couldn’t Get Worse” theme particularly applies to the offensive line.

What’s that? Fine, you got me, it’s true. I’m really struggling not to be relentlessly optimistic here. The facts say the Patriots have the third-easiest strength of schedule, and a quick September start (they open at home versus the Tom Brady Raiders, visit Miami, then host the Steelers and Panthers) is not out of the realm of possibility. An optimist might even say it’s likely.

So, what’s a reasonable outcome for the 2025 Patriots? How does a .500-ish record — 8-9 or 9-8 — and playing meaningful games until the end of December sound?

Go ahead, call it optimistic if you wish. I’m going to call it realistic, if not likely. Come January, this take will prove the opposite of freezing.

Chad Finn can be reached at chad.finn@globe.com. Follow him @GlobeChadFinn.