The past few months have been a whirlwind for Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe, who ended 2023 as New England’s starting quarterback but could be cut before Week 1. A fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Western Kentucky product entered the 2023 season behind Mac Jones on the depth chart. However, he took over midway through the season and started the final six games of the year. While he made a few nice plays, he left a lot to be desired and finished the season completing 59.9% of his passes for 1,272 yards, six touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
The Patriots traded Mac Jones after the season but signed veteran Jacoby Brissett in free agency and drafted Drake Maye and Joe Milton during the 2024 NFL Draft. With Brissett and Maye locked to make the roster, Zappe had to beat out Milton for the final spot on the depth chart. So far, that battle isn’t going well, as the veteran didn’t record a single rep in Friday’s practice. This highly suggests that the Patriots will cut Bailey Zappe, but that probably won’t be the last we hear of the quarterback. There aren’t enough good quarterbacks to go around, and the Chargers and Panthers are in the market for a new arm.
Patriots Likely to Cut Bailey Zappe, Could Chargers, Panthers Sign Him?
Starting quarterback is easily the most important position in football, but there’s a case to be made that the backup quarterback is the second-most important position. In 2017, Nick Foles took over for an MVP-caliber Carson Wentz and guided the team to the first Super Bowl in franchise history. On the other side of the coin, Curtis Painter took over Peyton Manning’s Colts and led the team to the first-overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Bailey Zappe probably won’t ever win Super Bowl MVP, but he could provide some insurance for either team if the Patriots cut him.
On paper, Carolina has one of the NFL’s best backup quarterbacks in Andy Dalton. An accomplished starter who lacked the physical talents to be great, the former second-round pick is more than capable of taking over the offense if something happened to Bryce Young. Unfortunately, Dalton is battling a quad injury and will miss the next couple of weeks. The Panthers wanted another arm even when Dalton was healthy, but now they’re desperate for one. Trevor Siemian is the best non-Tannehill free agent, but Carolina could wait for the Patriots to cut Bailey Zappe instead.
Herbert Insurance
The Los Angeles Chargers live and die with Justin Herbert’s foot. The star quarterback suffered a plantar fascia injury but should be back in time for Week 1. However, these injuries tend to linger, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter even said that he might have to deal with the pain for the entire season. Very few teams could handle this sort of loss, but the Chargers are in an especially poor situation. Los Angeles has the worst collection of pass-catching talent in the league and Easton Stick won’t be able to carry this unit.
Bailey Zappe also can’t singlehandedly carry a team, but the cut candidate could compete for the top backup job. Herbert’s injury means someone else might need to start a few games, and Easton Stick is nobody’s idea of a Week 1 starter. Zappe can fight for the starting job, and while his physical gifts limit his ceiling, he has experience throwing to a collection of subpar talent.
Main Photo: Eric Canha – USA Today Sports
