Latest On Bailey Zappe, Patriots QB2 Situation
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.
Offseason In Review: New England Patriots
The 2022 season saw the Patriots fail to make the playoffs for the second time in the post-Tom Brady era. While the players deserve their fair share of blame for the team’s lack of success, New England’s struggles could mostly be attributed to the sideline.
With Josh McDaniels having left for Las Vegas, Bill Belichick made the bold decision to replace his offensive coordinator with a former defensive coordinator in Matt Patricia and a former special teams coordinator in Joe Judge. Predictably, the results were less than stellar, and the team’s lack of offensive cohesion played a big role in quarterback Mac Jones‘ sophomore slump.
So, while fans may have been clamoring for a big-name acquisition, the organization’s biggest offseason move was bringing in former OC Bill O’Brien to help guide the offense. Will the coaching change help improve the Patriots’ postseason chances? It won’t hurt, but it remains to be seen if New England has enough firepower on their roster to keep up with the other three teams in the AFC East.
Extensions and restructures:
- Signed LB Ja’Whaun Bentley to two-year, $18.75MM extension ($9MM guaranteed)
- Signed LB Matt Judon to revised two-year deal (boosting guarantees from $2MM to $14MM)
- Signed WR DeVante Parker, to three-year, $33MM extension ($14MM guaranteed)
- Signed LB Raekwon McMillan to one-year, $2.25MM extension
The Patriots’ most notable extension of the offseason came during training camp, when they ended Matt Judon‘s hold-in by giving him a pay bump for the 2023 campaign. The veteran edge has transformed into one of the team’s most important players since he came over from Baltimore before the 2021 campaign, compiling 28 sacks over the past two years.
However, Judon has also struggled to finish each of those seasons on a strong note, which could explain why the front office opted to give him more money right now vs. tacking on additional years at the back end of his contract. While Judon’s reworked deal temporarily solves any contract tension, there’s a good chance he’ll be seeking some long-term security next offseason.
DeVante Parker‘s first season in New England left plenty to be desired, although there’s not a whole lot a receiver can do if the quarterback can’t get him the ball. The veteran wideout did show some signs of promise though, setting career-highs in catch percentage (66 percent) and yards-per-target (11.5), and his 17.4 yards per reception was his highest mark since his rookie campaign. The Patriots have a relatively deep receivers room and it’s uncertain how Parker fits into that grouping, but the front office gave him a vote of confidence by reworking his deal.
Belichick and Co. have always taken pride in their diamonds in the rough, so it was not a big surprise when the team was proactive in extending Ja’Whaun Bentley. The former fifth-round pick has topped 100 tackles in each of the past two seasons, and the Patriots will be counting on him to take on an even larger role on defense in the coming years.
Raekwon McMillan went down with a torn Achilles during New England’s offseason workouts, ending the linebacker’s season before it even began. However, for the second time in his tenure with the organization, he inked an extension ahead of a season in which he will not participate. McMillan bounced back from that 2021 ACL tear to play 16 games for the Patriots last season, finishing with 35 tackles and a fumble returned for a TD.
Free agency additions:
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR: Three years, $25.5MM ($16MM guaranteed)
- Riley Reiff, OT: One year, $5MM ($4MM guaranteed)
- Mike Gesicki, TE: One year, $9MM ($3.5MM guaranteed)
- Ezekiel Elliott, RB: One year, $6MM ($2MM guaranteed)
The Patriots didn’t really add to their offense as much as they simply signed free agents to replace their departed players (which we’ll get to below). Still, that’s not to say that the free agent acquisitions won’t help the Patriots and Jones in 2023. JuJu Smith-Schuster led the Chiefs in receiving during his one season playing alongside Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, finishing with 933 receiving yards and three touchdowns. While Smith-Schuster made notable contributions for a team that traded Tyreek Hill, that yardage figure is a far cry from his best year with the Steelers. The wideout is now five years removed from his breakout 2018 campaign that saw him compile 1,426 receiving yards, but the Patriots clearly added him as a depth piece instead of an offensive focal point.
Bill O’Brien was at the helm when the Patriots rolled with their talented tight end duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, so pairing Mike Gesicki with Hunter Henry is certainly intriguing. Still, the tight end struggled in Miami on the franchise tag last season after the organization added notable offensive weapons, finishing with his fewest receptions and receiving yards (32 for 362) since his rookie campaign. Miami’s offense is obviously a lot more dynamic than New England’s, but it will be interesting to see if Gesicki can produce with a number of comparable weapons around him.
The team’s biggest-name acquisition came during the preseason, when the Patriots added veteran Ezekiel Elliott to their backfield. The former All-Pro averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per carry last season as he was used increasingly as a short-yardage specialist, and he was ultimately cut by the Cowboys during the offseason. He’ll likely see a similar secondary role in New England with Rhamondre Stevenson emerging as a capable lead back.
Riley Reiff brings 149 games of starting experience to New England, and the veteran will likely fill in for the departed Isaiah Wynn at right tackle. Reiff’s production in recent years has been up and down, a fact that was reinforced when he couldn’t even crack the starting lineup for the lowly Bears to begin the 2022 campaign. Still, with the Patriots likely rostering at least three rookie offensive linemen, there’s a good chance the Patriots rely on Reiff’s veteran knowhow, even if it’s just temporary.
Re-signings:
- Jonathan Jones, CB: Two years, $19MM ($13MM guaranteed)
- Jabrill Peppers, S: Two years, $9MM ($6MM guaranteed)
- Matthew Slater, WR/ST: One year, $2.5MM ($2.5MM guaranteed)
- Jalen Mills, DB: One year, $6.1MM ($1MM guaranteed)
- Conor McDermott, OL: Two years, $3.6MM ($700K guaranteed)
- Mack Wilson, LB: One year, $2.2MM ($575K guaranteed)
The New England secondary had the potential to look a whole lot different in 2023, and we’re not even talking about the addition of Christian Gonzalez and the subtraction of long-time Patriot Devin McCourty. Three key defensive backs hit free agency at one time or another, and all three ended up re-signing with New England
Jonathan Jones has played in a variety of roles during his seven seasons in New England. He was mostly known as a slot cornerback through the first chunk of his career, but he was forced to the outside following J.C. Jackson‘s exit last offseason. Jones ended up having a career season from a statistical perspective, compiling 69 tackles, four interceptions and 11 passes defended. It was uncertain if the organization would pony up to re-sign the veteran, especially with the front office investing so much draft capital into the position in recent years. However, Jones ended up re-upping with the organization, and regardless of his role in 2023, he’ll certainly be an important part of the defense.
Jabrill Peppers is another Swiss Army Knife weapon in New England’s secondary, and while the former first-round pick managed to rehabilitate his value in 2022, he still decided to stick in New England. Peppers has the ability to play in the hybrid linebacker role that Patrick Chung used to play, but with McCourty now out of the picture, the coaching staff may lean on him even more in the secondary in 2023.
Jalen Mills had an intersting offseason, with the veteran defender earning his walking papers before re-signing with the organization within the week. Mills did not necessarily live up to the four-year, $24MM contract he initially signed with the Patriots in 2021, but the team’s newfound depth means it won’t be as reliant on the veteran as they once were. Plus, Mills’ versatility will only be seen as a positive in New England.
Dolphins, Packers Willing To Pay Jonathan Taylor Among Highest-Paid RBs
Jonathan Taylor‘s relationship with the Colts has deteriorated to the point of no return. While owner Jim Irsay’s comments about the state of the running back market seemed to be the final straw, Taylor’s frustrations with the organization first popped up when the front office refused his extension request this offseason.
[RELATED: Packers Engaged In Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks With Colts]
While Indy was unwilling to negotiate Taylor’s next contract, it sounds like two trade suitors were willing to pay up for the running back’s services. Per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, both the Dolphins and Packers were willing to give Taylor a contract that would place him “among the highest-paid running backs in the NFL.”
As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com points out, the only RB making serious money is Christian McCaffrey at $16MM per year, and the likes of Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb, and Alvin Kamara (when accounting for his phony final year) are all earning around $12.5MM. Without knowing the specific structure of the deal, Florio opines that it’d be difficult to truly know where a Taylor extension would land at the position.
Taylor is set to earn $4.3MM in base salary this season, so he’ll undoubtedly see a raise on a new deal. It’s uncertain if Taylor would even insist on a new contract following a trade, but he can probably rest easier knowing that some suitors are willing to bump his pay.
As we noted recently, the Packers invested in the position a few years ago when they signed Aaron Jones to a four-year, $48MM extension. However, the team can easily get out of that contract (with a $6MM dent in dead cap). With fellow RB AJ Dillon set to hit free agency following the 2023 campaign, the Packers could be considering a completely new-look backfield for 2024.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins will have a number of tough decisions to make from a financial standpoint in the near future, so locking in Taylor could ruffle some feathers. Yesterday, general manager Chris Grier told reporters that the Dolphins are tabling extension talks with Tua Tagovailoa and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins until after the season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/31/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Kaden Davis, OL Marquis Hayes
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: NT Bravvion Roy
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: QB Shane Buechele
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL Deslin Alexandre, DL Daniel Hardy, OL Bill Murray, K John Parker Romo
Denver Broncos
- Signed: TE Lucas Krull
Detroit Lions
- Signed: QB David Blough, DL Quinton Bohanna, WR Daurice Fountain, DE Raymond Johnson, RB Zonovan Knight, G Michael Niese
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Kristian Welch
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT McTelvin Agim, WR Racey McMath
- Released: DT Caleb Sampson, CB Kevin Toliver
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DL Esezi Otomewo
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: CB Keith Taylor, WR Montrell Washington
- Released: DB Reese Taylor
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Marquez Callaway, LB Isaac Darkangelo, G Vitaliy Gurman, DE Janarius Robinson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Alex Erickson, S Dean Marlowe, TE Nick Vannett
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Nick Bowers, RB Darrynton Evans, OL Chasen Hines, S Joshua Kalu, DT Rashard Lawrence, OT James Tunstall, WR Raleigh Webb, DE Chase Winovich
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Jalen Reagor
New Orleans Saints
- Released: RB Tony Jones Jr., RB Ellis Merriweather, RB Jordan Mims, LB Ty Summers
New York Giants
- Signed: CB Caleb Hayes, WR Dennis Houston, TE Tyree Jackson, RB Taiwan Jones, G Jalen Mayfield, OT Jaylon Thomas
- Released: CB Gemon Green, OL Tyre Phillips
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball, DL Jalyn Holmes, S Tyreque Jones, OL Jason Poe, OL Ryan Swoboda, RB Xazavian Valladay
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Thomas Booker, OT Le’Raven Clark, CB Tiawan Mullen
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Tariq Carpenter, OT Kellen Diesch, WR Simi Fehoko, G Joey Fisher, DB Josiah Scott
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB CB Shemar Jean-Charles, K Matthew Wright
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OL Ben Brown, CB Artie Burns, LB Jon Rhattigan, CB Robert Rochell
- Released: QB Holton Ahlers, OL Greg Eiland
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, DE C.J. Brewer, OL Silas Dzansi, OT Luke Haggard, DB Keenan Isaac, WR Cephus Johnson, RB Patrick Laird, S Richard LeCounte, WR Ryan Miller, WR David Moore, DL Pat O’Connor, OL Raiqwon O’Neal, LB Jose Ramirez, LB J.J. Russell, TE Tanner Taula, QB John Wolford
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/31/23
Following a busy roster deadline day on Tuesday, teams continue to reshuffle their rosters. Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed on waivers (from Colts): OL Carter O’Donnell
- Placed on IR: OL Dennis Daley, LB Myjai Sanders
- Waived from IR: OT Lachavious Simmons
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB Josh Johnson, CB Kevon Seymour, DE Brent Urban
- Placed on IR: LB Malik Hamm, RB Keaton Mitchell, CB Damarion Williams
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: WR Justin Shorter, LB Baylon Spector
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: TE Stephen Sullivan
Chicago Bears
- Waived from IR: RB Trestan Ebner, OL Gabe Houy
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DT Maurice Hurst
- Placed on IR: LB Jordan Kunaszyk
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Craig Reynolds
- Placed on IR: LB Julian Okwara
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LS Matt Orzech
- Placed on IR: OT Luke Tenuta
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: G Arlington Hambright
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived from IR: LB Blake Lynch
New York Giants
- Waived from IR: CB Zyon Gilbert
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: OT Carter Warren, TE Kenny Yeboah
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived from IR: S Joey Blount
Tennessee Titans
- Released: OL Justin Murray
The Ravens brought back a trio of veterans to their 53-man roster. Brent Urban is probably destined for the biggest role, with the veteran lineman serving as the top backup to Broderick Washington at defensive end. Urban got into 16 games for Baltimore last season, collecting 21 tackles and one sack. Veteran QB Josh Johnson will slide behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley on the depth chart, and Kevon Seymour will continue his role as a key special teamer.
The Cardinals are temporarily losing some production with offensive lineman Dennis Daley and linebacker Myjai Sanders being placed on IR. Daley joined the Cardinals on a two-year deal this offseason after starting 15 of his 17 appearances for the Titans in 2022. Sanders had a productive rookie campaign, with the third-round pick collecting 23 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble.
Julian Okwara has turned into a productive pass-rushing option in Detroit. The former third-round pick has collected seven sacks over the past two seasons, but he’ll now be sidelined for the start of the season while recovering from a knee injury suffered during in the preseason finale.
Dolphins Tabling Extension Talks With Tua Tagovailoa, Christian Wilkins
Two notable members of the Dolphins won’t be signing extensions with the organization during the 2023 campaign. General manager Chris Grier revealed to reporters that the front office is tabling contract talks with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins until after the season. Per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, Grier is tabling negotiations “as to not cause a distraction” during the upcoming regular season.
Wilkins would be the more pressing extension, as the defensive lineman is playing on his fifth-year option and is set to hit free agency following the season. The former 13th-overall pick has compiled 108 tackles and eight sacks in 34 games over the past two seasons, transforming into one of the team’s leaders on the defensive line.
However,Wilkins decided to stage a hold-in and not participate in training camp and preseason games while pursuing a new contract. Wilkins will be with the team in Week 1, and Grier revealed that there was no ill will between the two sides after they failed to agree to an extension.
“We’ve had a lot of great dialogue with him and his agent, very positive,” Grier said (h/t Alain Poupart of SI.com). “We made an offer that we thought was fair, and when you do things like that it has to work for both sides. And so there was never any ill will from each side. I enjoy his agent. We have good conversations. For right now we’re going to hold off until in my mind at the end of the season because I don’t think it’s fair to distract Christian from his goal of what he wants to achieve and for the team.”
Tagovailoa, meanwhile, is locked in through the 2024 campaign after the Dolphins picked up his fifth-year option earlier this offseason. The QB first became eligible to sign a new deal with the organization this year, which was good timing with the former fifth-overall pick coming off a career year.
Tagovailoa finished last season with 25 touchdowns passes vs. only eight interceptions, leading to his first career Pro Bowl nod. However, he was limited to 13 games for a second-straight season. Grier said the player’s ongoing concussion issues had nothing to do with a lack of an extension.
“I think just think for him, it’s just to let Tua play again,” Grier said (via Poupart). “Those things can be a big distraction, family, friends, you guys (the media), everyone constantly asking him about it. His agents and I have had discussions just general but not really about that and just kind of agreed, like, let’s just let him play out the season and then we’ll attack that in the offseason.”
Five Teams Placed Claims On WR Elijah Higgins
Elijah Higgins was a popular name on the waiver wire yesterday before he ultimately landed with the Cardinals. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter), the Colts, Titans, Commanders, and Packers also tried to claim the receiver.
It’s not a surprise that there’s plenty of intrigue in the Stanford product. Higgins had productive 2021 and 2022 campaigns, hauling in 104 receptions for 1,204 yards and six touchdowns. Thanks to that performance, the former four-star recruit found himself on the NFL radar, and the Dolphins ended up using a sixth-round pick on him during this past year’s draft.
However, Higgins found himself joining a deep receivers room in Miami. The rookie still had a shot at making the roster, but Miami ended up rolling with the likes of Braxton Berrios, Cedrick Wilson, Erik Ezukanma, and River Cracraft to round out the WRs room behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Higgins could have a chance to contribute in Arizona, though it’d likely require an injury for him to see a significant role on offense. Behind Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore, the Cardinals are rostering Zach Pascal, rookie Michael Wilson, and Greg Dortch.
Per Fields, Higgins was one of only two players to earn more than two waivers claims. The other was new Texans lineman Nick Broeker, who also drew interest from the Cardinals, Titans, and Giants.
Buccaneers Set 53-Man Roster
Following the retirement of Tom Brady, the Buccaneers will be facing a pseudo-rebuild in 2023. Before they get to a challenging regular season, the team was forced to cut down their roster to 53 players today:
Released:
- CB Anthony Chesley
- LB Ulysees Gilbert
- RB Patrick Laird
- WR David Moore
- DL Patrick O’Connor
- DL Deadrin Senat
Waived:
- WR Taye Barber
- LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle
- DL C.J. Brewer
- RB Ronnie Brown
- LS Evan Deckers
- T Silas Dzansi
- WR Kaylon Geiger
- G Luke Haggard
- CB Keenan Isaac
- WR Cephus Johnson
- S Richard LeCounte
- WR Ryan Miller
- G John Molchon
- G Michael Niese
- T Raiqwon O’Neal
- DL Willington Previlon
- OLB Jose Ramirez
- OLB Hamilcar Rashed
- LB J.J. Russell
- OLB Charles Snowden
- TE Tanner Taula
- S Nolan Turner
- WR Kade Warner
- CB Rodarius Williams
Waived/injured:
- TE Dominique Dafney
- CB Don Gardner
- S Kedrick Whitehead
Waived/failure to disclose physical condition:
- C Chris Murray
After sitting out the 2021 campaign, Deadrin Senat got into 12 games for Tampa Bay in 2022. The defensive tackle ultimately finished the campaign with 17 tackles, one sack, and a pair of QB hits. The former third-round pick got into 22 games for the Falcons to begin his career.
Falcons Reduce Roster To 53 Players
The Falcons roster took shape today. While the team moved on from some notable veterans, the front office surely had a tougher time waiving a long list of promising young players:
Released:
- WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside
- DB Breon Borders
- OL Jonotthan Harrison
- LB Andre Smith
- LB Kemoko Turay
Waived:
- DB Micah Abernathy
- WR Slade Bolden
- DB Natrone Brooks
- DB Cliff Chatman
- DL Carlos Davis
- DB Lukas Denis
- TE Tucker Fisk
- LB Frank Ginda
- DB Darren Hall
- DL Demone Harris
- WR Keilahn Harris
- TE Parker Hesse
- DL Timmy Horne
- RB Godwin Igwebuike
- LB Mike Jones
- DL LaCale London
- WR Zay Malone
- OL Michal Menet
- DL Caeveon Patton
- RB Clint Ratkovich
- OL Trevor Reid
- WR Mathew Sexton
- OL Justin Shaffer
- OL Tyler Vrabel
- RB Carlos Washington Jr.
- OL Barry Wesley
Placed on IR:
- DB Cornell Armstrong
- WR Penny Hart
One of the most surprising cuts was Darren Hall, who has started 10 of his 31 appearances for the Falcons over the past two seasons. The former fourth-round pick started nine games this past year, finishing with 45 tackles, three passes defended, and one forced fumble.
Parker Hesse spent the past two seasons in Atlanta, serving mostly as a blocking tight end. The former UDFA started seven of his 17 appearances this past season, hauling in nine catches for 89 yards.
Lions Announce 53-Man Roster
We knew the Lions were going to make a handful of QB transactions leading up to today’s deadline, with Hendon Hooker destined for NFI and Nate Sudfeld tearing his ACL. Of course, the team made many additional moves to get to the 53-man roster limit:
Released:
- TE Darrell Daniels
- RB Craig Reynolds
- RB Benny Snell
Waived:
- WR Maurice Alexander
- G Kayode Awosika
- S Brady Breeze
- C Brad Cecil
- WR Dylan Drummond
- DL Cory Durden
- T Connor Galvin
- S Brandon Joseph
- CB Chase Lucas
- LB Trevor Nowaske
- T Max Pircher
- K Parker Romo
- DL Chris Smith
- T Ryan Swoboda
- CB Starling Thomas
Waived/injured:
Activated from PUP:
Placed on reserve/NFI:
Placed on reserve/suspended:
Placed on IR:
- QB Nate Sudfeld
Released from IR:
- WR Chase Cota
Craig Reynolds spent the past two seasons with the Lions, and he made the most of his opportunities while on the field. He was limited to 14 games across the two seasons, but the RB still posted 500 yards from scrimmage on 94 touches. With a new-look depth chart in 2022, Reynolds found himself on the outside looking in.
The same goes for Benny Snell, who joined the organization earlier this offseason. The running back has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, starting five of his 63 appearances. He didn’t miss a game for Pittsburgh over the past three seasons, although he’s seen a drop in productivity. After compiling 429 yards from scrimmage during the 2020 campaign, Snell has only collected 218 yards in 34 games since.