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New England Patriots News & Rumors

Patriots Sign QB Bailey Zappe To Active Roster, Release QB Matt Corral

September 9th, 2023 at 9:14am CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots made one of the more surprising moves on roster deadline day when they cut 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe. The QB eventually landed on New England’s practice squad, and it sounds like he’s now back where he started.

[RELATED: Bill Belichick Addresses Patriots’ Decision To Waive Bailey Zappe]

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Patriots have signed Zappe to their active roster. This is not a standard practice squad elevation, which was the route the organization was expected to take with the backup quarterback. Instead, the Patriots are giving Zappe his spot back on the 53-man roster.

In a corresponding move, the team has waived quarterback Matt Corral, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The 2022 third-round pick took Zappe’s spot on the roster following roster deadline day.

After moving on from Zappe and undrafted free agent Malik Cunningham, the Patriots were left with Mac Jones as the only quarterback on the active roster. The Patriots later revealed some of their logic when they claimed Corral, a former Panthers draftee, off waivers.

The Corral acquisition was certainly an indictment on Zappe, but it seemed like the incumbent still had a firm hold on the QB2 role despite sitting on the practice squad. After all, Zappe has a year of familiarity with the organization, even if the team did hire Bill O’Brien as their new offensive coordinator this offseason.

Corral would have only had a week-plus to learn New England’s system, making it unlikely that the 2022 third-round pick would be counted on to immediately serve as Jones’ backup. Further, the Ole Miss product missed his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury, so the QB was also expected to be brought along slowly during the 2023 campaign.

Indeed, the quarterback didn’t have enough time to catch up, leading to him sacrificing his roster spot today. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the first indication of a QB2 change came at practice yesterday when Corral was absent. The Patriots could be counting on Corral passing through waivers and landing back on their practice squad, although that’s just speculation on my part. Joe Person of The Athletic notes that Panthers GM Scott Fitterer previously expressed interest in bringing Corral back to the practice squad.

Zappe added some intrigue to the Patriots’ quarterbacks room last season. With Jones and New England’s offense struggling, Zappe didn’t look completely lost during his two starts. He won both of those appearances, and in four games, he finished with 781 passing yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing 70.7 percent of his passes.

However, the Patriots’ hiring of O’Brien seemed to be a vote of confidence for Jones heading into the 2023 campaign. We learned recently that the coordinator’s offense specifically caters to Jones’ strengths, and that system doesn’t necessarily fit Zappe’s playing style. There was also some speculation that former offensive coordinators Matt Patricia and Joe Judge let Zappe run a similar-style offense to what he ran in college, perhaps explaining some of his rookie success.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/8/23

September 8th, 2023 at 6:55pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some minor transactions for today from around the league:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Indianapolis Colts

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: OLB JoJo Domann

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: T Josh Wells

Los Angeles Rams

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: CB Shaun Jolly

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

The releases of Armstrong and Wells are interesting. Armstrong ended last year as a starting cornerback for the Falcons but will now have to continue striving to stay in the NFL. Wells’ release ends a short reunion with the team that drafted him.

Gaskin is reportedly expected to remain in Minnesota and sign to the team’s practice squad to be elevated on Sunday. This is likely a familiar tactic teams use in order to avoid guaranteeing the full value of low-cost veterans’ salaries. Those on the 53-man roster for Week 1 will be guaranteed, while players signed to the active roster after this week will only be guaranteed 35 percent.

Bryant’s short tenure in San Francisco ends as the team makes room for Nick Bosa, who will be activated from the reserve/did not report list after signing his five-year, $170MM extension.

Milne’s move to IR could be an explanation for why the Commanders felt the need to go out and acquire Jamison Crowder following his release from New York.

Gun Charges Against Patriots CB Jack Jones Dropped

September 5th, 2023 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Patriots cornerback Jack Jones faced several gun-related charges stemming from a July arrest at Boston Logan International Airport. Jones had tried to bring two loaded firearms onto a plane. Shortly before the Patriots’ regular-season opener, Jones is in the clear on the legal front.

Appearing Tuesday in Boston Municipal Court, the second-year defender agreed to a deal with prosecutors that led to the gun charges being dropped, Chris Mason of MassLive.com reports. Jones, 25, agreed to a year of pre-trial probation and 48 hours of community service.

He had faced a number of charges — possessing a concealed weapon in a secure area of an airport, possessing ammunition without a firearm identification card, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm and possession of a large-capacity feeding device — in connection with the July arrest.

This news does not clear Jones from a potential NFL suspension. The league’s personal conduct policy does not require a conviction for a ban to be levied, but this certainly helps Jones, who was facing potential prison time after the arrest. Jones is set to be in uniform for the Patriots against the Eagles on Sunday.

This was not the first bout of legal trouble Jones has encountered. While at Moorpark (Calif.) College, Jones was arrested following an incident at a Panda Express, and he served 45 days of house arrest after pleading guilty to commercial burglary, which is a second-degree misdemeanor. The former USC recruit, however, managed rehabilitate his draft stock after transferring to Arizona State. The Patriots selected Jones in the 2022 fourth round and saw immediate promise. Pro Football Focus graded Jones as a top-20 corner last season. Despite starting only two games last season, Jones intercepted two passes — one of them resulting in a pick-six — and forced a fumble.

The Pats have Jack Jones positioned as a starting outside cornerback. He will join Jonathan Jones, who is now on his third Pats contract, and first-round pick Christian Gonzalez in comprising the top corner trio on Bill Belichick‘s 24th Patriots defense.

Patriots Looked Into Trade For Texans QB Case Keenum

September 4th, 2023 at 9:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Patriots made the surprising decision to waive Bailey Zappe, they spent a multi-day period with one active-roster quarterback. With versatile UDFA Malik Cunningham also cut, Mac Jones resided alone on the depth chart until the Matt Corral pickup.

While the Pats have Corral positioned behind Jones (technically), Zappe remains in the mix to be the backup. But the team had also targeted a more experienced option to help mentor its third-year starter. In addition to Colt McCoy being on the Patriots’ radar, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the team looked into acquiring Case Keenum from the Texans.

The Texans brought Keenum back to Houston, after the ex-Cougars standout embarked on a journeyman career upon leaving his original NFL team in 2015, on a two-year deal worth $6.25MM ($4MM guaranteed). This looked to be a sign GM Nick Caserio, who hired a third coaching staff in three years, would look to move two-year starter Davis Mills. But Mills, despite multiple rounds of trade rumors, remains in Houston as C.J. Stroud‘s backup. Keenum sits as the team’s third-stringer.

A report last week indicated the Texans’ backups were generating trade interest, and with the Pats targeting a veteran and Caserio having spent nearly 20 years with the franchise, the dots certainly connect here.

Keenum, 35, has completed a four-time zone journey by stopping through St. Louis, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Denver, Washington, Cleveland and Buffalo since 2015. While Keenum’s post-Vikings career effectively made his 2017 season — which featured a No. 1 QB DVOA ranking, a 13-3 Vikes record and an NFC championship game berth — an outlier, the former UDFA has remained coveted as a backup. Keenum quarterbacked the Browns to two wins during the 2021 season; those two starts ran his career total to 64.

Once Corral became available, however, Breer adds the Patriots regrouped and scrapped their previous plan of a veteran QB2. Patriots senior personnel advisor Pat Stewart, an offseason hire, was with the Panthers as their VP of player personnel from 2020-22. That tenure included the Panthers’ trade-up with the Patriots for Corral, a raw prospect out of Ole Miss. The Pats had explored Corral via trade as well, per Breer, who adds Bill O’Brien‘s good relationship with Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin also led to the decision to submit the claim.

Three years remain on Corral’s rookie contract; he missed all of last season with a Lisfranc injury. It will be interesting to see if the second-year passer’s form prompts the Patriots to circle back to their interest in a veteran backup before the Halloween trade deadline. After Brian Hoyer went down last season, Bill Belichick stuck with Zappe. But the former record-setting Western Kentucky QB struggled in O’Brien’s offense this year. For now, Zappe represents the most logical Jones backup to start the season. But this situation is clearly not settled entering the year.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/4/23

September 4th, 2023 at 8:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: CB Quavian White

Baltimore Ravens

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

  • Signed: DL Jeremiah Pharms Jr.

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

The Giants are not certain to have Wan’Dale Robinson available in Week 1. The 2022 second-round pick just came off the team’s active/PUP list, a sign the team believes he can return at some point during the season’s first four weeks. Beasley did not make the Giants’ 53-man roster but resided as a possible P-squad elevation option as Robinson protection. This moves nixes that path, as Beasley cannot play until Week 5.

Morrow has gone from potential Eagles starting linebacker to a player who did not make the defending NFC champions’ active roster. But the team still has the former Raiders and Bears starter in its plans. Morrow, who had signed a one-year deal worth the league minimum this offseason, is now positioned as a depth piece who could be elevated ahead of Week 1. Teams can use two P-squad elevations each week, in addition to standard promotions — which require corresponding roster moves — ahead of the Saturday-afternoon deadline.

Better known as the player chosen with the second-round pick obtained for DeAndre Hopkins, Blacklock moved from Houston to Minnesota via trade in August 2022. But he did not make the Vikings’ 53-man roster this year. The fourth-year D-lineman will be a depth option for the Jaguars.

Patriots Place T Riley Reiff On IR

September 4th, 2023 at 5:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Riley Reiff made it through last season unscathed, but the veteran tackle will spend time on IR for the second time in three years. The Patriots shifted Reiff to IR on Monday and promoted tight end Pharaoh Brown from the practice squad.

The 12th-year blocker suffered a right leg injury in the Pats’ preseason finale. Although Reiff’s timetable is not known, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the issue is not believed to be one that will end the veteran’s season. Still, this stands to affect the Patriots’ offensive line configuration to start the season.

Both tackle spots loomed as concerns for the Patriots this offseason, with perennial injury risk Trent Brown having missed time earlier this year. New England had also experienced issues at guard, with Michael Onwenu coming off the active/PUP list in late August. Cole Strange has also missed notable preseason time. Reiff now must miss at least four games. He will factor into the Pats’ IR-return mix; teams have eight such activations available in-season.

Reiff has only played tackle in games as a pro, but the former first-round pick was working at guard — a position he slid to at points in practice for the then-guard-limited Pats — when the injury occurred, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald notes. Reiff signed a one-year, $5MM deal in March, coming over after spending 2022 in Chicago. A Bears backup to start last season, Reiff eventually replaced Larry Borom in the 3-14 team’s lineup and started 10 games.

The well-traveled blocker has not run into substantial injury problems over the course of his career, only missing more than four games in a season once. That came in 2021, when an ankle injury sidelined him for the Bengals’ final five games. Working as Cincinnati’s starting right tackle that year, Reiff did not return for the team’s Super Bowl LVI run. Reiff, 34, will begin this season having started 149 career games.

This development creates uncertainty for the Pats, who were connected to a bigger investment at the position than the ones they eventually made. Rumored to be eyeing one of the top right tackles, the Pats instead added Reiff and ex-Broncos swing tackle Calvin Anderson. The team has rookie Sidy Sow as an option, and Kyed notes Onwenu moving back to tackle — a position he played earlier in his career with the Patriots — could be an emergency avenue. That would create a right guard vacancy.

New England also has Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and recent trade acquisition Vederian Lowe on its 53-man roster. Wheatley has yet to suit up for an NFL game; Lowe played in four as a Vikings backup last season. Sow arrived this year as a fourth-round pick out of Eastern Michigan. Anderson is the most experienced Patriots backup tackle. The Broncos’ tackle issues led to Anderson starting a career-high seven games last season. He has made 12 career starts but spent much of training camp on the active/non-football illness list.

Bill Belichick Addresses Patriots’ Decision To Waive Bailey Zappe, Claim Matt Corral

September 4th, 2023 at 11:20am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots were busy reshaping their quarterback depth chart last week, including the surprising decision to waive 2022 fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe. The risk paid off and Zappe was retained via the practice squad, but he has new competition for the backup QB role.

New England claimed former Panthers draftee Matt Corral off waivers, filling the vacancy at the position on the team’s active roster. Given the lack of time Corral has had to acclimate to the Patriots’ offense, however, questions have been raised about his readiness to dress as the backup for Week 1. When speaking publicly on the matter, head coach Bill Belichick confirmed that no decision has been made yet on that front.

“All roster decisions are based on what we feel like’s best for our football team,” Belichick said, via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. “There’s a number of things involved there. But glad to have Bailey to continue to work with him. Still think he’s a good, young, developing player, and so we’ll keep working with him.”

Zappe made a pair of starts in place of an injured Mac Jones last season, and his play (along with perceived tension between Belichick and the latter) led to speculation about a potential QB competition in the summer. Instead, Zappe struggled this offseason while adapting to new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien‘s system, one which is catered to Jones’ strengths. Belichick’s remarks confirm Zappe is still in the team’s long-term plans, however.

As for Corral, little can be said with certainty given his lack of playing time. The Ole Miss product missed his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury, and he has yet to make a regular season appearance as a result. Corral was in Carolina’s plans, but they will move forward with first overall pick Bryce Young and veteran Andy Dalton under center.

“We’ll take a look at him and see how it goes,” Belichick added during a WEEI appearance (via Kyed’s colleague Andrew Callahan). “[Corral] had a very good career at Mississippi, and hasn’t really had a lot of chances to do much in the last two years; was injured and missed some time. But [he] had a good preseason, so we’ll see how it goes. Look forward to working with him.”

Belichick added praise for Jones, who is entering a critical third year as the team’s starter. A healthy and productive season as the No. 1 would make much of the Corral-Zappe situation a moot point, but each of the latter two passers will have plenty to prove over the course of the 2023 campaign as well.

Latest On Bailey Zappe, Patriots QB2 Situation

September 2nd, 2023 at 8:54am CST by Ben Levine

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

September 1st, 2023 at 9:32pm CST by Ben Levine

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:

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:

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:

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.

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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/1/23

September 1st, 2023 at 7:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

Teams continue to tinker with their taxi squads in the aftermath of roster cutdowns. Here are Friday’s updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR T.J. Luther
  • Released: WR Thyrick Pitts

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

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