For the second one consecutive season, the New England Patriots are taking an unconventional technique to their quarterback room. A 12 months after letting Matt Patricia and Joe Pass judgement on do a little on-the-job finding out as co-offensive coordinators, the staff reduce backup quarterbacks Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham. Even if the group hopes to retain them at the observe squad, they’ve to transparent waivers, leaving Mac Jones as the only quarterback at the roster.
Replace: The Pats have signed Zappe and Cunningham to the observe squad.
After a dalliance with Zappe underneath heart all through Jones’ harm, and the staff’s offensive struggles in 2022, the Mac-churian Candidate has the gig all to himself. It’s curious as a result of New England has a brand new playcaller in Invoice O’Brien, and theoretically a brand new offense, as neatly. Whilst any construction and competence is an development over Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, we didn’t see a lot of Jones within the preseason in any respect.
This wouldn’t be a large deal for a longtime quarterback, or perhaps a journeyman, however Jones is coming off a 12 months wherein he regressed mightily. Once more, no longer all his fault, and O’Brien has lots of revel in to assist out his third-year QB, but it’s a unusual vibe.
Jones and O’Brien met in short whilst one used to be offboarding and the opposite used to be onboarding in Tuscaloosa, and the sign caller used to be reportedly glad about an legitimate running courting in Foxborough when it used to be introduced. So, why can’t we see it? Let it rip.
Jones went 6-of-9 for 52 yards, getting sacked two times, in his very restricted preseason paintings, and most likely that used to be via design for Invoice Belichick who has all the time loved somewhat gamesmanship. Some distance be it for me to query the Hoodie’s strategies…
On the similar time, that is the fellow who OK’d the Patricia-Pass judgement on combo, which set again his younger quarterback for no less than a season, and has made some out-of-character front-office strikes even for Belichick.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, and Hunter Henry head up a bunch of go catchers that excite actually no person. Rhamondre Stevenson is a beast of a working again, and he’ll want to be with the corpse of Ezekiel Elliot serving because the resident backup. Oh, and the offensive line allowed 11 sacks in 3 warm-up video games.
Regardless of lacking 3 video games in 2022, simplest 10 different QBs had been sacked greater than Jones (34). Sure, that used to be remaining 12 months, and that is simplest preseason, however in the future, we want to see the Mac Jones of 2 to 3 seasons in the past to ensure that he nonetheless exists. Till then, it will not be the worst concept for the Patriots to have a minimum of one reserve quarterback at the roster.
