The New England Patriots plan on carrying all four quarterbacks into training camp, according to coach Jerod Mayo on Wednesday.
That means the Patriots are setting up for a four-man competition in the summer featuring Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, Bailey Zappe and Joe Milton III.
Mayo noted back in May that the team planned on keeping four quarterbacks on the roster in the spring and narrowing things down as soon as training camp started. However, it looks like the coaching staff might want to take a longer look at the quarterbacks before making a final decision.
Brissett and Maye are obvious locks to make the roster, but things could get interesting when it comes to the choice between Zappe and Milton. The Patriots already know what they have in Zappe, but Milton is an intriguing prospect who could provide value down the line.
Jerod Mayo said he “absolutely” plans to carry all four of the Patriots’ into training camp.
He suggested earlier in the spring that they wanted to pare down the roster before camp, but now sounds like they’ll keep Brissett, Maye, Zappe and Milton for the time being.
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) June 12, 2024
It’s already clear that Milton has a much higher upside with his arm talent and size. Granted, there are accuracy and touch issues that he’ll have to improve to compete at the next level.
On paper, Zappe looks like the odd man out, but the fact that he’ll have another opportunity to prove himself at training camp is good news. It hasn’t always been pretty, but he does have eight starts under his belt and four NFL wins.
Experience goes a long way when considering the possibility of carrying two rookie quarterbacks on a roster.