Year 3 will be a defining season for New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones.

After a strong rookie campaign, Jones regressed in 2022 along with the rest of the Patriots offense. The bizarre coaching setup with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge received the bulk of the blame, but the pressure is on Jones to bounce back in 2023 with Bill O'Brien as his offensive coordinator.

If you ask ESPN's Louis Riddick, Jones still has the potential to develop into one of the NFL's top QBs. Riddick joined our Phil Perry on a new episode of the Next Pats Podcast to share his take on the type of quarterback Jones can be.

Next Pats Podcast: Louis Riddick explains why Mac Jones can be a top-10 quarterback | Listen & Follow | Watch on YouTube

"I think Mac can be a top-10 to top-12 type of quarterback," Riddick said. "Because of the fact that he has great processing speed. He has enough arm strength to throw the football both horizontally and vertically how you want. He showed that at Alabama. The football field in college is the same length as it is in the NFL, so he can launch it where it needs to go.

"Obviously, as he gets older, his arm strength will improve to where those tight-window throws and maybe when he is not releasing it with the same type of anticipation he'll still be able to get there. So I still think he has a lot of growth he has yet to really experience in terms of his strength and his football IQ, which is something that's always growing. The guy who preceded him in New England in Tom Brady was learning throughout the entire course of his 20+ year career. So I don't think we've even come close to scratching the surface for what Mac Jones can be.

"I understand, like now, we're not really interested in allowing him to grow and develop. We want results. Especially in New England where they're used to winning championships, so people are going to become very, very frustrated if he isn't putting up the kind of numbers and making the kind of eye-catching plays that some of the other quarterbacks are making."

Also in the new episode: Should offensive tackle or wide receiver be the Patriots' main priority this offseason? NFL Media's Judy Battista shares her thoughts on the Patriots' trajectory. And is the current QB market sustainable?

Check out the latest episode of the Next Pats Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch it on YouTube below: