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New England Patriots rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe has been an excellent find for head coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots drafted Zappe in the fourth round, pick 137 in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Western Kentucky. He spent four years at Houston Baptist before transferring to Western Kentucky for the 2021 season. Zappe had a great 2021 campaign at WKU, throwing for an FBS record of 5,967 yards, 62 TDs, another FBS record, 11 INTs, and a passer rating of 167.5. These are great numbers for a 23-year-old young man heading into the NFL. It was a shocker that New England drafted Zappe this past year because last year, they took starting quarterback Mac Jones in the first round and had Brian Hoyer and former Patriot Jarrett Stidham (traded to the Las Vegas Raiders this past offseason) on the roster.
Zappe So Far This Preseason
In his first game against the New York Giants, he completed 19 out of 32 passes for 205 passing yards, throwing one touchdown and adding an interception. Zappe looked sharp and made a solid case to be New England’s number two QB on the depth chart, right behind Jones. He made some great throws, especially a couple of nice throws to Patriots WR Tre Nixon. Zappe does a great job eluding pressure and staying comfortable in the pocket. Now onto his second game against the Carolina Panthers, he completed 16 of 25 passes, adding 173 yards through the air, no touchdowns, and one INT. So far, his first preseason game was the better of the two games, with Zappe looking to secure the backup role against the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday. Through two games this preseason, Bailey is 35-57, with 378 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
What’s Next for Bailey Zappe
The real question is will the Patriots carry three quarterbacks on the roster heading into Week 1? I can’t see why New England wouldn’t want career veteran QB Brian Hoyer to help coach and educate Mac and Bailey with his years of experience in the NFL. I firmly believe that Zappe will be backing up Jones before the season ends if he keeps impressing the coaching staff throughout practice and during the regular season.
