Bailey Zappe

Zappe returns to the Patriots for his third season, but this year he’s likely third quarterback on the roster. The Patriots signed Jacoby Brissett and drafted Drake Maye third overall, relegating Zappe to fighting for scraps with sixth-round rookie Joe Milton. Zappe began last year on the practice squad only to end up starting six games. If that happens again, things will have really gone off the rails in New England. Among 35 QBs with at least 200 attempts, Zappe ranked 30th in on-target percentage (68.4) and 33rd in completion percentage (59.9), with six TD passes and nine interceptions. It’s possible he goes to practice squad again or is traded if the team choose Milton to be the emergency QB.

As a rookie, Zappe started two games while starter Mac Jones dealt with an ankle injury, and overall the 2022 fourth-rounder out of Western Kentucky recorded 65 completions on 92 pass attempts for 781 yards with five TDs and three picks in four appearances. Given that coach Bill Belichick hasn't specifically endorsed Jones as the Patriots' starter this coming season, there's been some speculation that Zappe could make a run at the job as Week 1 approaches. That said, a more plausible scenario is that Jones gets an opportunity to get back on track after an uneven 2022 campaign. If, however, the 2021 first-rounder falters or suffers an injury in his third season as a pro, Zappe would be next in line to handle the reins.

With Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham already in the backup mix behind 2021 first-rounder Mac Jones, the Patriots' selection of Zappe in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft raised some eyebrows. However, it's clear that New England saw value in Zappe, who threw a whopping 62 TD passes with Western Kentucky last season. With Stidham having been dealt to the Raiders, the 6-1, 220-pound Zappe will give the franchise a young signal-caller on a rookie contract to groom as Jones' eventual understudy, but in the short-term Hoyer would most likely be the QB to see spot starts if Jones misses time.