Tag: Bailey Zappe

Former Patriots starting QB signing to Chiefs’ practice squad

Kansas City is picking up a former Patriots starting QB

The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly signing former New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe to their practice squad, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Wednesday.

This move comes after the Patriots announced Zappe’s release on Tuesday.

The quarterback room in New England grew too crowded with the arrivals of Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye and Joe Milton III. Zappe wasn’t beating out Brissett for the top veteran job, and he had even less of a shot at outlasting the two rookies, Maye and Milton.

A move to Kansas City should give the former fourth-round draft pick a much-needed reset. In New England, he played musical chairs at the starting quarterback position with Mac Jones for the last two years.

It was mostly a dysfunctional situation with defensive play-callers coaching the offense, limited receiving weapons and bad offensive line play. Zappe started in six games last season and finished with 1,272 passing yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions.

There was also the fact that he was booed relentlessly just for stepping on the field to play quarterback.

It wasn’t a productive situation for a 25-year-old quarterback who can still be a serviceable backup in the NFL.

What better way to turn things around than aligning with the best quarterback and coach in the game in Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid?

Instant analysis of Patriots waiving QB Bailey Zappe

The writing was on the wall for Bailey Zappe

For a second straight year, quarterback Bailey Zappe failed to make the New England Patriots’ initial 53-man roster.

NFL insider Jordan Schulz reported on Tuesday that Zappe had been released by the team. While the move wasn’t exactly surprising, it’s certainly noteworthy considering Zappe is a former starter for the Patriots.

He went 2-4 as the leading man under center last season as the Patriots sunk to an overall 4-13 record.

After failing to make the initial roster, Zappe was signed back to the Patriots’ practice squad and eventually promoted to the main roster. There’s always a chance he could find his way back on the Patriots’ practice squad, but at this point, it might make more sense for Zappe to look for opportunities elsewhere.

He has seemingly hit his ceiling with the Patriots, and quite frankly, the quarterback room is too crowded at the moment with Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye and Joe Milton III.

All three quarterbacks are physically imposing with more athletic traits to their game. Meanwhile, Zappe is undersized at the position, and he has looked out of place since the start of training camp.

Make no mistake, that doesn’t mean Zappe couldn’t be a serviceable backup in the NFL elsewhere. There are other situations out there that could lead to him finding far more success than he could in New England at this point.

It’s simply a situation where the Patriots appear to be moving in a different direction with what they’re looking for in a quarterback.

And what the new regime is looking for clearly isn’t Zappe.

Patriots reportedly releasing former starting QB Bailey Zappe

Bailey Zappe has been released by the Patriots

The New England Patriots are reportedly releasing former starting quarterback Bailey Zappe, according to the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed.

Zappe seemed to be on borrowed time in New England with the additions of veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, along with rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton III.

Brissett has been viewed as the bridge starter for Maye, who was selected with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft. That immediately put Zappe in direct competition with the team’s sixth-round pick at quarterback, Milton.

While Zappe had a clear experience edge, Milton’s off-the-chart athletic traits and physical abilities were far too intriguing to give the former Patriots starter much of a fighting chance.

It’s important to keep in mind that Zappe didn’t make the initial 53-man roster last year, either. He was re-signed to the Patriots’ practice squad and eventually elevated back to the main roster.

This move comes ahead of the 53-man roster cut deadline set for Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. The Patriots cut 14 players on Monday, and they are already hard at work putting the finishing touches on their 2024 roster.

Patriots’ quarterback plans revealed for preseason game vs Eagles

Here’s how the Patriots will reportedly divvy up their quarterback snaps this week

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye is expected to see much more playing time in Thursday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, per NFL insider Albert Breer.

Maye only played in one series in the team’s preseason opener last week against the Carolina Panthers, while Bailey Zappe and Joe Milton III played for most of the game. Patriots starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett also played for a single series.

Breer posted on X, “After playing just one series last week, Patriots QB Drake Maye is set to see a lot more action tonight. The plan, I’m told, is to have Jacoby Brissett play the first quarter, Maye play the second quarter and into the third, Joe Milton to go in in the third and play into the fourth, and Bailey Zappe to finish.”

The biggest question is whether Maye will be playing behind the second-team offensive line unit. Such has been the case throughout training camp, but it could prove risky against a ferocious Eagles defense.

Could this be a situation where the Patriots finally let their prized rookie play behind the starting offensive line?

Milton getting another crack at preseason action is good news as well considering he stole headlines with his incredible performance last week. Will he be able to continue building on that momentum against the Eagles?

It should make for some fun drama entering Thursday’s matchup.

Instant analysis of Patriots’ 17-3 preseason victory over Panthers

Instant analysis of the Patriots’ Week 1 preseason win over the Panthers

The New England Patriots opened up their 2024 preseason slate on Thursday night with a 17-3 win over the visiting Carolina Panthers.

It was mostly a defensive game dictated by field position until Patriots rookie quarterback Joe Milton III entered the game in the second half.

New England came into the matchup with an interesting strategy of starting Jacoby Brissett for a drive and following that up by giving rookie first-round draft pick Drake Maye only one drive as well. They then went with Bailey Zappe for the rest of the first quarter and most of the third.

Zappe was booed heavily when he entered the game by a Patriots fan-base that clearly wanted to see more of Maye. It was a decent effort from the veteran quarterback, who finished the game going 12-of-20 passing for 108 yards.

He even led the Patriots on a touchdown drive that was capped off with running back Kevin Harris rushing the ball into the end zone for six points.

But the story of this game was Milton and the Patriots’ defense. The sixth-round draft pick looked surprisingly calm in the pocket. He never panicked under pressure and even took off for an incredible 13-yard run when the defenders got close.

The real play of the night for Milton came on a play where he pump-faked the defense and threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to receiver JaQuae Jackson, who nearly juked the defender out of his cleats.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Patriots gave the Panthers fits all night.

They dominated at the line of scrimmage and forced quarterbacks Jack Plummer and Jake Luton to get the ball out quickly. There were several dropped passes and missed opportunities for the Panthers, but they were mostly overwhelmed by a Patriots defense that looked solid across the board.

Defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms Jr. and edge rusher Oshane Ximines in particular had great games. Both players registered a sack and two quarterback hits on the night.

Overall, it was a good night for the Patriots, but they won’t have long to celebrate. It’ll be back to work next week with a scheduled joint training camp practice with the Philadelphia Eagles on August 13.

The two teams will then face off in a Week 2 preseason matchup at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, August 15.

Patriots fans boo Bailey Zappe relentlessly in preseason opener

Bailey Zappe was booed heavily when he entered Thursday’s preseason game

New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe was booed heavily in Thursday’s preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers, when entering the game in the middle of the first quarter.

Zappe came in as the replacement for rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who only played one series up to that point.

He managed to hold down the fort for New England, as he led a touchdown drive in the middle of the second quarter that was punctuated by a rushing touchdown by running back Kevin Harris.

The Western Kentucky product played for the majority of the second half of the game.

The silver lining is that the boos quickly turned into cheers, especially as Zappe managed to get into a rhythm in the second quarter. If anything, this simply proves that fans are excited to see the future more so than the past in New England.

Bailey Zappe remaining upbeat despite changing QB room

Bailey Zappe comments on his decrease in practice reps

Bailey Zappe maintains an upbeat tone, despite taking fewer practice reps in the New England Patriots’ completely revamped quarterback room.

It’s a room Zappe has been a major part of for the last two seasons. He played in 10 games total last season and recorded 1,272 passing yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions. He helped provide stability to the quarterback position during Mac Jones’ struggles.

The Patriots overhauled the quarterback room this offseason by signing veteran Jacoby Brissett as a bridge quarterback. They also selected North Carolina star Drake Maye with the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, while using a sixth-round pick on Joe Milton III.

Brissett and Maye have been getting top reps, and recently, Milton’s reps surpassed Zappe’s.

“The quality is what you make of it. The quantity is all the same,” Zappe said, via MassLive’s Mark Daniels. “I don’t really get into – ‘Oh, he got one more than I did’ or anything like that. That’s left to the coaches. It’s based off the quality of those reps.”

It remains to be seen how Zappe will factor into the quarterback equation moving forward.

Nevertheless, his attitude is certainly refreshing. How the quarterback room shakes out will tell a lot about the team’s direction.

Jerod Mayo says Patriots ‘absolutely’ carrying all four QBs into training camp

The Patriots plan to carry all four quarterbacks into training camp

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.

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.

Here’s how Bailey Zappe has handled Patriots’ massive QB shake-up

How is Bailey Zappe handling the Patriots’ QB changes behind the scenes?

New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe is handling the quarterback competition like a true professional, according to quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney.

It’s been a whirlwind of a year for the quarterback, who started for the Patriots mid-season in 2023. He went 2-3 over the final five games of the season, as quarterback Mac Jones looked on from the bench.

Now, he is entering an even tougher quarterback competition with veteran Jacoby Brissett, as well as rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton III also in the mix.

He received praise from quarterbacks coach T. C. McCartney earlier this week.

“He’s a pro’s pro. This is the NFL,” said McCartney, via NESN.com’s Keagan Stiefel. “He’s started games. He’s won games. He beat us when I was in Cleveland, so I have a ton of respect for Bailey. He’s a pro’s pro, comes to work and does whatever is asked. He’s been good so far.”

It has been a roller coaster for Zappe over the past couple of years. He went from being a backup to getting thrown into the fire as a fringe starting quarterback—to now being thrown into competition with a highly-touted veteran and two promising rookies.

It hasn’t exactly been the easiest of paths, but Zappe has never been afraid of going out there and competing, regardless of the circumstances.

Patriots QB Bailey Zappe reflects on tumultuous 2023 season

Bailey Zappe feels like his mistakes cost the Patriots games in 2023

New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe reflected on his play last season in a session with the media on Wednesday.

Zappe kept the Patriots afloat while quarterback Mac Jones struggled throughout the course of the season. He finished the year with 1,272 passing yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions.

For all of the struggles he had last year, there were some highlights. This included wins in two out of three games in December, including a thrilling 26-23 victory over the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve.

Still, the Patriots finished 4-13 on the season in what was a tumultuous year for the quarterback room. Zappe got his first taste of action against the Dallas Cowboys, as Mac Jones was benched in the second half. It happened again against the Indianapolis Colts in Germany, as the inconsistent play of Jones continued to be a concern.

Zappe kept things even-keel when asked about last season, as transcribed by NFL reporter Zack Cox.

“There were some things personally that I felt like I did really good, and there were some things that I feel I did really bad at,” said Zappe. “Mistakes that I made cost us games.”

It will be interesting to see where Zappe fits in the quarterback room this season with multiple new additions, including Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye and Joe Milton III.