According to the unofficial depth chart on the team roster, the New England Patriots have settled for Mac Jones as the starting quarterback heading into 2023.
Meanwhile, signs point to Bailey Zappe being the QB1 against the Houston Texans for New England’s first preseason game. And for Zappe, that can be a good thing for a number of reasons.
Bailey Zappe’s Journey to the NFL Involved an FCS Stop and Astronomical Numbers
The Patriots selected Zappe on Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft — one year after they settled for Mac Jones in the first round.
How was Zappe able to intrigue the Pats, even as a passer considered to be a surprise draft selection after they just added the Alabama Crimson Tide star?
One year clearly did the trick to garner and cement NFL attention as Zappe torched the college football landscape in his first and only season with Western Kentucky. He shredded defenses to the tune of 5,967 yards, 62 touchdowns, and just 11 interceptions.
Yet it turns out that wasn’t his only season of producing astronomical numbers.
As an under-recruited passer from Victoria, Texas, only Houston Baptist of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) extended an offer to Zappe. But he got the chance to operate in the Air Raid offense and went on to rack up 10,004 passing yards at the FCS level. He also delivered 78 touchdown passes and 29 career picks.
But even as an FCS quarterback facing Power Five competition in the truncated 2020 season, Zappe took advantage with a 567-yard performance against Texas Tech, which became the highest yardage total for a non-FBS quarterback against an FBS foe.
That game, along with his WKU numbers, catapulted him into the conversation of becoming an NFL passer.
Why Zappe Needs Thursday Night
While head coach Bill Belichick insisted he didn’t know if Jones will suit up for Thursday’s preseason contest when speaking with the media Wednesday, Zappe has a stronger chance to earn snaps first. There are plenty of reasons why this is a strong sign for Zappe.
For starters, while Jones still figures to be the No. 1 option come the season opener on Sept. 10 against the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, Zappe can prove to Belichick and the Pats that he’s capable of being trusted to handle QB duties without Jones. He did just that last season by going 2-0 as a backup …and he did that playing in a rather inept Pats offense.
But the next part involves Bill O’Brien. With the former Texans coach back for a second stint with the Pats as offensive coordinator, he’s bringing back a system predicated on timing and quicker passes. It’s near reminiscent of what Zappe dominated in at HBU and WKU — and the second-year passer can use Thursday to prove he fits in O’Brien’s scheme.
But the third and final part: New England has a fellow NFL veteran in the QB room in Trace McSorley — who shares a Penn State connection with O’Brien — and newcomer Malik Cunningham — who’s intrigued the Pats with his athleticism as an undrafted free agent — who are also vying for the backup role.
McSorley will likely use this game as a start to cement his case on his third NFL roster since 2019. Meanwhile, Cunningham will surely use this game as a springboard to latch onto the final 53-man roster while bringing his dual-threat elements from Louisville over to the Pats.
With a year in the league now on his résumé, Zappe is in a position where he can use Thursday to prove he still belongs on this roster — and in the league.
