When the Patriots’ 2022 season ended unceremoniously, some pundits wondered if 2022 fourth-round quarterback Bailey Zappe could battle 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones for the starting gig. Now, heading into the regular season, it’s uncertain if Zappe is even set to be New England’s QB2.
[RELATED: Patriots Claim QB Matt Corral]
Zappe was a surprise cut by the Patriots on deadline day, but he ended up landing back with the practice squad. The team has since added former third-round pick Matt Corral to the mix, muddying the QB picture behind Jones. As Albert Breer of SI.com writes, Zappe’s preseason struggles and apparent misfit with Bill O’Brien‘s new offense ultimately led to the quarterback’s placement on the practice squad.
For all their warts, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge actually helped Zappe become acclimated to the NFL by having him play in an offense that resembled his collegiate system from Western Kentucky. The rookie won both of his two starts last season, completing 70.7 percent of his passes for 781 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. Jones, meanwhile, played to a 6-8 record while completing 65.2 percent of his passes for 14 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions.
Zappe seemed prime to push Jones for the starting job in 2023. However, as Breer notes, O’Brien’s new offense better leverages the starter’s strengths, and that system doesn’t necessarily fit Zappe’s play style. The second-year QB proceeded to struggle during the preseason, and with a handful of roster-worthy players eligible for IR, the Patriots succeeded in sneaking him through waivers and signing him to the taxi squad (the team took a similar path with UDFA Malik Cunningham, who impressed during the preseason at both quarterback and wide receiver).
New England’s recent waiver wire claim of Corral doesn’t necessarily mean that Zappe has been demoted to QB3, however. Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald believes Zappe will be the QB2 (via practice squad elevation) to begin the season. The incumbent backup already has a head start on understanding the offense (even if it doesn’t fit his strengths), and the organization would only had around two weeks to catch their newcomer up to speed. Both Zappe and Corral will likely battle it out in practice to determine who’d be the replacement in the event of a Jones injury.
I feel like Matt could be decent… you know, the OK Corral.
*slaps self repeatedly*
from Wikipedia: Despite its name, the gunfight did not take place within or next to the O.K. Corral, which fronted Allen Street and had a rear entrance lined with horse stalls on Fremont Street.
Well, if the Patriots sign a QB named Fremont, then ha!
Perhaps Kentavius Street has a brother named Fremont.
What do you mean Cunningham “impressed at both QB and WR”? He can’t catch and he can’t throw. One good preseason drive (running) what’s backups doesn’t change that.
As a Pats fan, I sincerely hope I’m wrong.
By the end of the season Mac Jones will be QB3
Wouldn’t be surprised. Bill has no idea how to grade college talent.
That would absolutely be surprising.
The Patriots could be trying an interesting approach to the new emergency QB rule. If they sign Colt McCoy to the PS, they could cover the backup position with a rotation of the three QBs on the PS for the first half of the season while Corral learns the system as the emergency QB.
I have little doubt that Zappe’s “demotion” has less to do with system compatibility than the distraction his play created from last yr. We all know Belichick has an ego the size of the sun, so much so as he doesn’t like to be second guessed for his personnel decisions (see Cam and Patricia). When Mac sucked against pretty much every team last yr (yes, we can give a mulligan for the playcalling), Zappe still performed and the team elevated its play.
Remove the “distraction”, regardless of if it benefits the team, and his ego is veritable untouched.
Zappe started strongly, but he slowed down too after his two starts. While I certainly give Belichick plenty of credit for ruining the offense last year, I can’t say that it was his ego that kept Zappe from staying in. Fact is, both QBs ended up stalling in the mud after Zappe’s initial zing. Jones played better after returning after Zappe slowed down.
The reason that I said that is that the Pats really played it safely with Zappe. Zappe’s screen rate was highest in the league, at over 18%. Zappe had the lowest, or one of the lowest, depth of targets in the league, at 6.7 yards. The Pats used play-action on over a third of his drop backs, and he didn’t chart a single “big time” throw. Ironically, Mac Jones, who had a terrible year otherwise, lead the league in big time throws. It doesn’t seem like should be true, but it was. Ironically, Patricia managed to manage Zappe well, at least at first.
So, that’s why Jones is starting. Zappe played well, no doubt. But he was playing a simpler gameplan. The Pats need a better gameplan for Jones to give him a chance to succeed, and he needs to deliver. Zappe was more efficient I think. However, the feeling that Zappe was definitely capable than Jones needs a lot of context.
The Pats will be lucky to finish at 5-12 this year as that O Line can’t protect any QB so it doesn’t really matter who’s under center.