Mac Jones

Patriots QB Mac Jones To Start In Week 12

November 26th, 2023 at 10:36am CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 26: Jones will start for the Patriots against the Giants today, as Callahan was first to report. Per Reiss, Jones and Zappe enjoyed a roughly equal split of practice reps, with Jones usually getting the first look. Callahan says that Jones outperformed his backup (though it was close), and Reiss adds that Jones’ ability to process the blitzing schemes of Giants DC Wink Martindale also gave him an advantage.

Reiss also notes that Belichick kept his decision from the team, perhaps deciding that the unknown would allow the quarterbacks to remain focused on winning the starting job. Indeed, the head coach said several times throughout the week that he told “everybody to be ready to go,” per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com).

However, Belichick’s adominition that all of his players be ready was apparently not just a motivational tactic. According to Garafolo, Zappe will likely see some action in the New York game, and there may even be something of a QB rotation.

NOVEMBER 20: When speaking publicly on the matter, offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien confirmed the Patriots’ upcoming practices will determine the starter (h/t ESPN’s Mike Reiss). While head coach Bill Belichick will have the final say on the matter, it will be interesting to see how reps are divided in the coming days as Jones looks to retain his place atop the depth chart. O’Brien, for his part, gave Jones a vote of confidence with respect to bouncing back from his underwhelming performances so far this season.

NOVEMBER 19: Quarterback Mac Jones‘ grasp on the Patriots’ starting job is tenuous at best. Well into a second straight year of regression, Jones was benched at a crucial moment last week and now sees his future very much in question. After a Week 11 bye, the team has reportedly not made a decision on whom will start under center against the Giants next week, but for now, Jones has continued taking starting reps at practice, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.

While faith in Jones’ ability to lead the team was already waning, it’s been reported that “at least 80 percent of the Patriots’ locker room is out on Jones,” per Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. The lack of faith in Jones is reportedly rampant on both sides of the ball with a belief that Jones’ consistent mistakes tend to “negate the best efforts of his teammates.”

Callahan notes that, in addition to ranking second in the league for interceptions and leading the league with three pick sixes, Pro Football Focus has Jones leading the league in turnover-worthy plays. He is also on track to post “career worsts in passer rating, touchdown percentage, interception percentage, and yards per attempt.”

It’s not hard to decipher who would be taking Jones’ starting job, should he lose it. When Jones was benched last week, it was second-year passer Bailey Zappe whom the Patriots asked to step up with the game on the line.

The Western Kentucky alum started two games in his rookie year after Jones and primary backup Brian Hoyer both sustained injuries. He won both starts, and in four games in which he saw serious action, Zappe completed 71 percent of his passes for 781 yards while tossing five touchdowns to three interceptions, adding a score on the ground, as well. Zappe’s appearances this year haven’t been nearly as impressive, but they’ve come in two garbage time situations and one attempt at a game-winning drive.

The decision seems to boil down to Jones vs. Zappe, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, as third-string quarterback Will Grier is expected to stay just that. “When you’re new and haven’t been here in training camp and had the full background of OTAs and a chance to run our core plays, it’s a lot to catch up on,” head coach Bill Belichick said on the Patriots All-Access television show. “Will has done a good job of it. There’s no issues with him. It’s just there’s only so many snaps out there.”

With that being said, Jones and Zappe have got some work to do. Even in a season that seems to be circling the drain with injuries, the Giants refused to roll over this week in a divisional matchup in DC, handing a shocking defeat to the Commanders. A decision on whom Big Blue will face at quarterback next week has not yet been made. For now, it looks like Jones, but it doesn’t sound like a situation that’s set in stone.

Patriots Waive QB Will Grier

November 25th, 2023 at 11:17am CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots’ backup QB carousel continues. The team is waiving quarterback Will Grier, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The move clears a spot for p-squad offensive lineman Conor McDermott to join the 53-man roster, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.

While Mac Jones has started every game for the Patriots this season, the depth chart behind him has seen plenty of reshuffling. Projected backup (and potential QB1 fill-in) Bailey Zappe was bounced from the roster after the preseason, only to later rejoin the active roster via the practice squad. Former third-round pick Matt Corral was also briefly on the team before eventually earning his walking papers.

The Patriots then pivoted to Grier as a potential backup option. Grier most recently served as one of Dak Prescott‘s backups in Dallas, but following the Cowboys’ acquisition of Trey Lance, the 2019 third-round pick was cut loose. After a brief stint on the Bengals practice squad, Grier was added to New England’s 53-man roster back in late September.

Grier hasn’t seen the field at all this season, and even with the Patriots’ uncertain QB situation, it was unlikely he was going to earn a promotion from his QB3 role. Coach Bill Belichick admitted as much during a recent appearance on Patriots All-Access.

“When you’re new and haven’t been here in training camp and had the full background of OTAs and a chance to run our core plays, it’s a lot to catch up on,” Belichick said. “Will has done a good job of it. There’s no issues with him. It’s just there’s only so many snaps out there.”

With Grier no longer on the roster, Malik Cunningham could be in line for snaps if the Patriots pivot from both Jones and Zappe. The UDFA out of Louisville has spent much of the season working with the Patriots receivers, although the organization hasn’t completely shut the door on his QB abilities. For what it’s worth, the rookie did tell Kyed that he’s not part of the team’s plans at quarterback tomorrow against the Giants.

So, as expected, that leaves Jones and Zappe as the candidates to start Week 12. The Patriots still haven’t announced who will start the game, but with Jones having reportedly lost “at least 80 percent of the Patriots’ locker room,” there seems to be some real momentum towards Zappe earning his first start of the season. The 2022 fourth-round pick showed some flashes as a rookie, but the Patriots have been reluctant to turn to the second-year pro in 2023.

That lack of faith could be because of Zappe’s underwhelming performances at practice. As Kyed writes, the second-year pro has struggled under new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, and Jones has been the superior QB every step of the way. While that’s obviously not saying a whole lot, the Patriots may be struggling to justify a Zappe promotion.

Patriots Unlikely To Pick Up QB Mac Jones’ Fifth-Year Option

November 12th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Ely Allen

The NFL career of Patriots quarterback Mac Jones started off hot. Following two years of apparent regression, though, he’s putting himself in a tough position for the future. With the team’s decision of whether or not to pick up the third-year passer’s fifth-year option looming this offseason, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald finds it hard to believe that New England opts in for the extra year.

After a Pro Bowl rookie campaign that saw Jones lead the Patriots to the playoffs while throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, New England has struggled to match that success. In three fewer starts the next year, Jones would go 6-8 as a starter, throwing for just under 3,000 yards with 14 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. This season, his yards per game has continued to decline while he now holds an even ratio of 10 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.

Now, there are a few different areas that could contribute to this decline in performance. While Jones enjoyed some consistency in his receiving corps over his first two years in New England, his cast of receivers looks a bit different this year. The team allowed Jones’ favorite target, Jakobi Meyers, to walk in free agency, opting to replace him with free agent addition JuJu Smith-Schuster. Meyers has shown his usual consistency in Las Vegas, while Smith-Schuster has looked like a shadow of his former self, only racking up 140 yards in seven starts this year.

Another issue could potentially be the lack of consistent instruction. After playing under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in his rookie year, Jones led an offense devised by a strange mix of Bill Belichick, senior football advisor (and former defensive coordinator) Matt Patricia, and offensive assistant (and former special teams coordinator) Joe Judge. This year, Bill O’Brien has led the charge as offensive coordinator.

In reality, the excuses don’t amount to much. In a league that very much values the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately mindset, Jones hasn’t done much this year. In fact, with Belichick’s future with the franchise in doubt, what Jones has shown the league becomes that much more important. Jones won’t get the benefit of familiarity if an outside coach and a new general manager come in and look at his total body of work.

If those new team leaders look at this season alone, Jones has been benched three times, the third coming in today’s loss to the Colts. Kyed asserts that, if New England had better backup options behind him, Jones wouldn’t even be starting anymore after three benchings. The first two came in contests that were so out of range for the team that the move could’ve been viewed as protective of their starting passer. Today’s game, though, was very much in range. When the Patriots had an opportunity to drive down the field for a game-winning touchdown, Jones found himself on the bench as backup quarterback Bailey Zappe was shouldered with the task of leading the team to victory.

“To make people believe, you have to be better,” Jones told reporters when asked if he felt Belichick still believed in him, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I’m not sure. I don’t know.”

In terms of what all of this means for the fifth-year option of Jones’ first-round rookie contract, it’s hard to believe that the Patriots are ready to commit to Jones for this current 2023 season or the 2024 season next year, let alone 2025. There’s still plenty of time this year for Jones to turn things around and prove that he deserves more time, but if Belichick is truly on his way out, Jones will just need to be that much more convincing for the next crew who takes over.

AFC Trade Rumors: Patriots, Broncos, Renfrow

October 31st, 2023 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Patriots fielded lots of calls for trade offers during today’s trade deadline, but two of the bigger names on their roster reportedly received no interest. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, teams called New England to take the temperature on pass rusher Josh Uche, safety Kyle Dugger, and tackle Michael Onwenu, while quarterback Mac Jones and veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott didn’t receive any nibbles.

Uche, Dugger, and Onwenu are all facing contract-years, so they all held a decent chance of being dealt. Uche was reportedly the most likely, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. After a couple quiet years to start his career, Uche burst onto the scene in 2022, combining with Matt Judon for half of the team’s 54 sacks last year. Mike Dugar of The Athletic reports that the Seahawks held serious interest in Uche “with talks going pretty deep,” but ultimately, landed Leonard Williams from New York instead. With Seattle filling their defensive line need with Williams, Uche will remain in New England.

As will, Jones and Elliott. It’s unclear how serious the Patriots were, if at all, about seeking trade partners for the two offensive contributors. The team will face a fifth-round option decision for Jones before next year, while Elliott will become a free agent at the end of the season.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC, starting out West:

It was a similar scene up in Mile High, where the Broncos decided not to move any of their potential trade assets due to a lack of serious interest. While the team reportedly did receive offers on players like receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, they didn’t gauge the offers as good enough to move on, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. Mike Klis of 9NEWS relayed that the team is “confident in its group of players.” While it seemed the team may be willing to dive into a rebuild, beating a sick Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs may have convinced them otherwise.
Remaining in the West, the Raiders were unable to find a buyer for wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, to little surprise. Las Vegas gave Renfrow a big-money extension after his Pro Bowl season and has diminished his role severely ever since. So far this year, Renfrow has been on the field for over half of the Raiders’ offensive snaps in only three games. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, the remaining guaranteed money in Renfrow’s contract prevented any teams from fully following through on their interest in the veteran receiver. With Renfrow staying put and the many sources shooting down reports of wide receiver Davante Adams wanting out of Vegas, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders stood pat at the trade deadline.

Patriots Have Scouted Top QB Prospects

October 30th, 2023 at 8:56pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots currently sit at the bottom of the AFC, and if their struggles continue, the organization will be picking towards the top of next year’s draft. So, it probably isn’t much of a coincidence that the Patriots have scouted some of the top quarterback prospects.

During an appearance on NBC Sports Boston, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer revealed that the Patriots have sent personnel to games for “every one of the top quarterbacks except Caleb Williams.”

“I can tell you guys for a fact the Patriots have had live game exposure — and remember, you have to make decisions on where you go with your scouts — they’ve had live game exposure to every one of the top quarterbacks except Caleb Williams,” Breer said (via NBCSportsBoston.com). “I’m sure they’ll get to Caleb soon. So they are taking a very hard look at these guys.”

Williams is the prize of the draft class but would require the first-overall pick. If New England doesn’t finish with the worst record in the NFL (and fails to work out a trade for the selection), they could pivot to North Carolina’s Drake Maye, who is also expected to hear his name at the beginning of the draft. Washington quarterback and Heisman-Trophy favorite Michael Penix Jr. is also a projected first-round pick, as is Oregon’s Bo Nix.

Thanks to Tom Brady, the Patriots went decades without selecting a quarterback in the first round. Mac Jones was the 15th-overall pick in the 2021 draft, making him the first Round 1 QB to be selected by the organization since Drew Bledsoe in 1993. Following a one-year stint with Cam Newton under center, the Patriots handed Jones the reins during his rookie campaign. The Alabama product looked like a hit, earning a Pro Bowl nod while also guiding his team to the playoffs.

However, his 2022 seasons was mired by benchings and a questionable offensive coaching staff led by Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. The Patriots brought in Bill O’Brien to help fix the offense, but the third-year quarterback has continued to struggle. Jones has tossed nine touchdowns vs. a league-leading eight interceptions while playing a major role in the Patriots’ 2-6 record.

Jones still has at least a year remaining on his rookie contract (depending on the fifth-year-option decision during the offseason), so the Patriots aren’t in a rush to replace him. However, Jones also hasn’t shown enough to stop the front office from using a top-five pick at the position during the 2024 draft.

Latest On Patriots’ Struggles In 2023

October 19th, 2023 at 7:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Wins have been hard to come by in New England this season, with the Patriots winning only one of their first six games. Naturally, fans and pundits have been looking for a scapegoat. Mac Jones and the putrid Patriots offense have earned their fair share of the blame, and even Bill Belichick‘s job security has been called into question.

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe recently explored how the Patriots got to this point, and the reporter didn’t exclude owner Robert Kraft when exploring the root cause of the organization’s issues. While ownership allowed Belichick free rein during the Patriots’ dynasty, Kraft’s recent meddling has contributed to the organization’s current predicament.

It started back in 2017, when Kraft forced Belichick to move on from Jimmy Garoppolo in favor of an aging Tom Brady. The following year, it was Kraft that convinced offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to renege on his HC deal with the Colts and stick in New England. Both of those decisions ultimately benefited the Patriots (Brady won another ring while McDaniels helped guide Jones to a successful rookie campaign), but those decisions may have emboldened the owner in recent years.

Specifically, it was Kraft’s decision to give de facto defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo a pay raise this past offseason while also potentially promising him the future head coaching gig. Mayo has earned respect around the NFL and has been considered for head coaching gigs, but Kraft’s promise may limit the organization’s ability to completely clean house. Further, Kraft also convinced Belichick to hire offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and offensive line coach Adrian Klemm, and the Patriots offense and offensive line have struggled mightily in 2023.

Most significantly, some NFL sources believe that Kraft was the one who chose Jones in the first round of the 2021 draft, per Volin. This isn’t a huge surprise; Belichick has never seemed fully committed to the young quarterback, perhaps explaining why Jones’ confidence appears completely shot in 2023.

It’s probably easiest to place blame on all of Kraft, Belichick, and Jones, but Volin notes that there’s plenty of other reasons why the Patriots find themselves at the bottom of the standings. The front office and coaching staff have had a major brain drain in recent years. This loss of coaching/front office talent wasn’t any different during New England’s heyday, but as Volin writes, the Patriots have struggled to find replacements like they used to.

Kraft, of course, isn’t going anywhere, so Jones and Belichick would seemingly be the main scapegoats assuming things continue to go south. In a separate column, Volin explored some potential destinations for Belichick if he ends up getting pushed out in New England. In informal conversations with league personnel, the most popular hypothetical landing spots for the iconic coach were the Chargers and Commanders. The Bears were also previously mentioned as a potential suitor for Belichick. While the head coach has expressed interest in coaching well into his 70s, it’s uncertain if Belichick would have interest in uprooting his life to work elsewhere.

Patriots QB Mac Jones On Short Leash

October 15th, 2023 at 8:27am CST by Ben Levine

OCTOBER 15: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms that Jones is indeed on a short leash, and that if he should struggle in the first few series of today’s game against the Raiders, Belichick could pull the plug and insert another quarterback.

Who that quarterback would be, however, is unclear. Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal recently told 98.5 The Sports Hub (as relayed by Karen Guregian of MassLive Sports) that Grier would likely be the next man up if Jones is benched. While Rapoport does not go that far, he does say that Grier and Zappe split reps in practice this week and that, despite Grier’s current status as QB3, the former third-round pick of the Panthers could be the one to get the nod.

It is also worth noting, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes, that Cunningham received increased quarterback reps in practice this week after spending the majority of his pro career to date working on his transition to wideout. That surely does not mean that he would be called upon to replace Jones, but O’Brien believes Cunningham — who was just signed to the active roster — is one of the Pats’ most improved p-squad players. Rapoport adds that the club does have a package installed for the versatile weapon.

OCTOBER 12: Mac Jones and the Patriots offense has struggled mightily this season, especially over the past two weeks. The third-year quarterback has tossed four interceptions, lost a pair of fumbles, and earned two benchings in those two contests, with the offense failing to find the end zone in either of those two losses.

Many have started to question if Jones will continue as the QB1 for the Patriots. While it doesn’t sound like the leash is very long, the Patriots coaching staff made it clear this week that the former first-round pick will be under center this weekend against the Raiders. Coach Bill Belichick told reporters that the team won’t be “making any changes” (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), while offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said he expects Jones in the lineup on Sunday.

“It’s not about one guy,” O’Brien said when asked about Jones’ struggles (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “He’d be the first to tell you that there’s things that he has to do better, whether it’s obviously take care of the ball, maybe read the route better, or get us into a better play. But it’s a collective effort.”

While Jones is expected to stay in the starting lineup, it sounds like the team is prepared to make a change if needed. Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets that this will be an important week of practice for the starter, and the Patriots will continue to “evaluate every position on the roster.” Following New England’s Week 5 loss to the Saints, Belichick acknowledged that the team was “starting over,” an indication that everyone’s spot on the depth chart would be reconsidered.

Part of the reason the Patriots haven’t already pivoted away from Jones is because of their lack of faith in the organization’s other QBs. As Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald write, 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe has struggled during his second season in the NFL. A source told the Herald that Zappe had a “rough transition to the new offense” under O’Brien, and that ultimately led to the team cutting the quarterback at the end of the preseason.

The other 31 teams passed on Zappe, and he ultimately landed back on the Patriots’ active roster (following a quick stop on the practice squad). The team has since shuffled through multiple options at QB3. Will Grier is the current third option at the position, but even Belichick recently noted how difficult it is for players to climb the depth chart during the season. While rookie Malik Cunningham intrigued during the preseason, the Patriots seem committed to the player’s transition to wide receiver. The lack of alternative options explains why Jones will continue as the starter.

Following a successful rookie season, it’s surprising that the Alabama has taken such a significant step back over the past year-plus. According to the Herald duo, much of the blame has been placed on the organization, as Jones has shuffled through three offensive coordinators, an inconsistent and injury-plagued offensive line, and an underwhelming receivers corps.

However, sources also noted that Jones hasn’t done anything to help his case. The quarterback’s tape is “littered with inexcusable errors,” and while the lack of protection and weapons hasn’t helped, Jones is still making fundamental mistakes. In fact, according to the Herald, some in the organization recognized that Jones wasn’t the guy following the 2022 campaign, but the Patriots hoped the QB wouldn’t be bad enough to sabotage their chances.

“We know Mac isn’t going to win for us. He needs to be comfortable,” a team source told the Herald this summer. “But we think we can win with him. We’ll see.”

The team hasn’t done much winning this season, with their lone victory coming against the Jets. Jones will get another chance at redemption this weekend, but it’s uncertain how much longer he’ll stick atop the depth chart if the offense continues to struggle.

AFC East Rumors: Jones, Jackson, Jets

October 8th, 2023 at 7:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The NFL’s franchise in New England had been spoiled with their consistency at the quarterback position over the 20-year reign of Tom Brady. This season, though, many are wondering if Brady’s eventual successor, Mac Jones, has what it takes to retain his seat atop the depth chart. According to several different sources, his starting job as the Patriots‘ quarterback is safe for now.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network was the first to report this morning that the Patriots would be sticking with Jones at quarterback for today’s game against the Saints and that “no change was imminent.” He did mention that second-year quarterback Bailey Zappe, who got about a quarter of the team’s offensive snaps is last week’s blowout loss to the Cowboys, got more practice snaps than usual throughout the week.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated detailed that a lot of the struggles seen with Jones last week were things that have been noticed at practice in New England. He asserts that Jones still has a bit of leeway with the coaching staff, but Jones is going to need to remedy those issues in order to keep it that way.

Even after another blowout loss today that saw Jones pulled from the game in the fourth quarter, head coach Bill Belichick confirmed that Jones will remain the team’s starter, according to Josh Alper of NBC Sports. Belichick reportedly said that “the team will be ‘starting over’ as they move toward next Sunday’s game against the Raiders, but the new start won’t include a new” starter.

Here are a few other rumors out of the AFC East, starting with a new familiar face who recently returned to Massachusetts:

Recent trade acquisition from the Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson was once a prized free agent addition in Los Angeles after his original stint with the Patriots. But things this year deteriorated to the point that Jackson, who was a healthy scratch for the Chargers in Week 3, was asked to enter the game to fill in for an injured Michael Davis, and he refused to do so, per a joint report from Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Jackson, who had already sustained a serious injury during his time in Los Angeles, knew he had no future with the team and didn’t feel comfortable risking further injury. Additionally, the arrest warrant issued for Jackson in late September for reckless driving has reportedly been lifted, according to David Linton of The Sun Chronicle. Jackson paid the fine and agreed to probation in order to avoid arrest.
Along with Aaron Rodgers‘ former Green Bay teammates, wide receiver Mecole Hardman was considered a big addition to the Jets‘ receiving corps in the offseason. And despite his once prominent role on the perennial contender in Kansas City, Hardman has been a non-factor in the first five weeks of the season, including his status as a healthy scratch today. Hardman voiced his frustration to ESPN’s Rich Cimini saying, “I’m probably the best in the league in space. Maybe (the coaches) see something different. I’m just waiting for the opportunity to present itself. I think when I was in K.C., I proved that I was probably the most dangerous guy on the jet sweep, or whether it be on the end-around or on the screen, I think I proved year-out that I was that guy you had to worry about doing that.”
Sticking with the Jets, many expected a change to the composition of the quarterbacks room coming into the week. Cimini relayed head coach Robert Saleh‘s assessment that the room was “status quo” today. Tim Boyle remained as Zach Wilson‘s primary backup, while Trevor Siemian stayed down on the practice squad today.

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.

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.

Latest On Bill Belichick’s Job Security

July 20th, 2023 at 9:11pm CST by Ben Levine

The post-Tom Brady era in New England has seen more lows than highs. After missing the postseason only once between 2003 and 2019, the Patriots have now missed the playoffs in two of the past three seasons. As a result, owner Robert Kraft is reportedly getting antsy, and he may be pointing the finger at his iconic head coach.

During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran acknowledged that coach Bill Belichick is currently on the hot seat and has “been there at different levels of warmth since 2019” (Twitter link). While Curran notes that Kraft has recently walked back his demand for a playoff win (something that’s eluded the organization since their last Super Bowl in 2018), the reporter also believes that the organization could consider drastic changes if the team disappoints in 2023.

As Curran hints, Belichick’s approval rating in New England started to see some cracks in 2019. That year, Belichick and the front office refused to commit to Brady beyond that season, and the QB ended up leaving the organization for Tampa Bay in 2020. While Brady going on to win a championship with the Buccaneers surely ruffled some feathers in Foxborough, Curran believes Kraft was most upset that the Patriots didn’t have a plan at the position for the 2020 campaign. The team ended up rolling with free agent Cam Newton as their starter and won only seven games, the organization’s fewest amount since the 2000 season.

The team managed to bounce back in 2021 with a rookie Mac Jones under center, but the wheels fell off in 2022. Belichick did little to replace offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who left for the head coaching job in Las Vegas. Belichick turned to former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and former special teams coordinator Joe Judge to lead the offense, and the results were predictably disastrous. There’s been various reports about how much Kraft influenced Belichick’s decision to hire Bill O’Brien for the OC job this offseason, but either way, the owner clearly wasn’t happy with the on-field product in 2022.

Complicating the matter is Belichick’s ongoing pursuit of the all-time wins record. The 71-year-old is 19 wins behind Don Shula for the all-time record (regular season and playoffs), and there’s little chance Belichick or Kraft make a move until the record is set. That would mean the Patriots head coach is locked in through at least the 2024 campaign, but depending on the results of the 2023 season, the team’s owner may not want to wait that long to make a move.

If Kraft does decide to make a head coaching change following the 2023 season, it sounds like the replacement is already in-house. Defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo ended up turning down head coaching interviews this offseason to stick in New England, and it’s believed he’s the heir apparent for the Patriots head coaching gig. Mayo played under Belichick before recently serving as the team’s de facto co-DC alongside Belichick’s son, Steve Belichick. In this scenario, the elder Belichick would likely transition to an advisory role, and Curran believes that the future Hall of Famer would be in support of a Mayo promotion. Of course, that support would be contingent on Belichick ending his coaching career on his own terms.

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