As the New England Patriots continue to construct their roster ahead of Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season, the team has reportedly made a move to bring in a familiar face at quarterback as insurance at the position moving forward.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Patriots are expected to sign Bailey Zappe to their practice squad, after the second-year player out of Western Kentucky cleared waivers.
After clearing waivers, QB Bailey Zappe is signing with the Patriots’ practice squad.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2023
This comes after the Patriots waived both Zappe and undrafted free-agent rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham. The team also recently parted ways with veteran Trace McSorley, leaving the embattled Mac Jones as the only quarterback on the active roster. But now, both Zappe and Cunningham have reverted back to the team’s practice squad after clearing waivers.
Over the offseason, there were so many rumors and reports swirling around the Patriots and Jones that was hard to know what was fact and fiction. But these roster moves signal that New England plans to stand by Mac Jones as its starting quarterback, despite the emergence of Zappe in 2022.
Zappe was a fan favorite last season when he appeared in four games for New England, starting two of them while Jones was injured. He was 2-0 in his starts and ended the season with five touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 100.9 passer rating.
