Patriots quarterback Mac Jones talks with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien before a preseason game. Jones won the quarterback competition this offseason. John Amis/Associated Press
At the outset of Patriots training camp, Bill Belichick answered a question about his quarterbacks room by saying he would let Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe and Trace McSorley compete for playing time.
Jones won in a landslide.
He took virtually every starting rep in training camp, sat out two preseason games and out-performed Zappe and McSorley by a wide margin. Zappe and McSorley were also cut last week, which briefly left Jones as the only quarterback on the roster. Asked Monday how Jones won the competition, Belichick highlighted three areas where the quarterback has grown since last season.
“Mac has had a really solid spring and (training) camp. Very similar to what we talked about with (Kendrick Bourne). (He’s) out there every day, ready to go, in excellent physical condition. And I’d say he’s made a lot of improvement over the spring and training camp in reads, decision-making and timing,” Belichick said Monday on WEEI.
“(He’s) getting more work, timing with the guys he’s throwing to, (he) works hard. Looking forward to the season here with Mac.”
Two weeks ago, Patriots safety Adrian Phillips described Jones as a “way better quarterback” this summer. Jones infamously regressed last season under former offensive coaches Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, after he authored one of best statistical seasons by a rookie quarterback ever in 2021. Asked about Phillips’ comments and his improvement this summer, Jones explained he’s been picking the brains of his defensive teammates more often.
“Obviously, we haven’t even played a game yet, so I don’t know if (being ‘way better’) is true or not. But, I mean, I think just talking with him, asking him questions when we’re going against them, like ‘hey, what did I do there’? He’s like, ‘hey, good job looking me off on that man-to-man coverage’,” Jones explained. “Just trying to take it from the practice field to the game field and use those tools that I have.
“But yeah, it’s just continuing to grow and staying true to the process. Don’t veer off the process.”
IN THE TIME since the Patriots cut Zappe, Belichick hasn’t held a press conference or video conference call, so, Monday’s WebEx session with reporters was the first opportunity to ask the head coach about the move.
“All roster decisions are based on what we feel like’s best for our football team,” Belichick said. “There’s a number of things involved there. But glad to have Bailey to continue to work with him. Still think he’s a good, young, developing player, and so we’ll keep working with him.”
The Patriots waived Zappe last Tuesday. He cleared waivers Wednesday, immediately signed with the Patriots’ practice squad and was on the practice field an hour later.
Since that time, the Patriots claimed quarterback Matt Corral off waivers from the Panthers. Corral was waived Wednesday, and the Patriots claimed him onto their 53-man roster on Thursday.
The Ole Miss product was selected a round earlier than Zappe in the 2022 draft. The Patriots actually traded the pick Carolina used to draft Corral to the Panthers for a 2022 fourth-round pick and 2023 third-round pick. Zappe was selected with the 2022 fourth-rounder, and the Patriots grabbed linebacker/safety Marte Mapu with the 2023 third-rounder. Now, all three players are on the Patriots.
Belichick said Monday that it’s too soon to tell if Corral could be the backup to Jones on Sunday against the Eagles. Corral has yet to take the practice field with the Patriots since he was claimed after practice Thursday, and the team has been off since that time for a long break during Labor Day weekend.
If Corral isn’t ready, then Zappe could be elevated off of the practice squad to be Jones’ backup.
Corral missed his entire rookie season with a Lisfranc injury suffered during a preseason game against the Patriots.
Zappe went 2-0 in relief of Jones but struggled in new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien’s system in training camp and the preseason. The expected quarterback competition between Zappe and Jones never took off, and Zappe is now doing his potential backup work from the practice squad.
WIDE RECEIVER DeVante Parker returned to practice but left early and went to the Patriots’ upper conditioning field. His participation bears monitoring on Wednesday when the team releases its first injury report ahead of its Week 1 game against Eagles. Parker missed two practices last week. The Boston Herald was told last week that Parker was “fine” and that his injury wasn’t expected to be a long-term issue.
If Parker can’t play Sunday against the Eagles that would mean more potential playing time for a number of players, including wide receivers Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte and tight end Mike Gesicki.
Parker and JuJu Smith-Schuster project as the Patriots’ top wide receivers when healthy.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
