Bailey Zappe has been impressive in two-plus games with the Patriots, leading New England to victory in both of his starts and filling in admirably for quarterback Mac Jones as the latter recovers from a high ankle sprain.
It's a testament to Zappe, obviously, but it's clear the rookie fourth-round pick also is benefitting from the structure in Foxboro, where head coach Bill Belichick cares less about one's draft pedigree and more about winning football games.
"It's the perfect team -- and I say this, and it's a credit to New England, to Bill, to ownership, to the epitome of functionality -- it's the perfect team for a player like Bailey Zappe to be at," former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton said Monday on FS1's "The Herd with Colin Cowherd." "We used to say this after the draft and the team's all together, and in the meeting you have your draft picks, you have the guys you signed after the draft, free agents -- so you have the fourth-round picks, and Bailey Zappe, and seventh-round picks and the first-rounders there, they're all there, and then the free agents, and the free agents that are veterans from other teams. And we would always say, 'Hey, you guys are here now and that's the science and the art of procuring talent. How you arrived here will have no bearing on how much you play.' Now, we can say that, but teams double down on mistakes all the time in our league, and it's frustrating to watch, and you see it happening. Bill Belichick is just going to go by what he sees."
While it might be hyperbolic to suggest the Patriots have a quarterback controversy on their hands, with Zappe taking advantage of a couple of favorable matchups against the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, the conversation is becoming more interesting. If nothing else, Jones will need to perform better upon returning to New England's lineup, as Zappe has proven capable of guiding an NFL offense with solid results.
"Not having had a chance to really evaluate Bailey Zappe, other than in the green room and watching him, but if Bill feels like that player gives them the best chance to win, that's who's going to play," Payton said. "We spend so much time discussing, 'Is there a controversy in Dallas (with Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush?' No, there isn't. There's a gap here.
" ... But back to your point about Bailey Zappe, there could be no better place to be undrafted or a late-round pick, prove your worth, and there will be no politics, or whatever, relative to you getting on the field. He's going to play. And we said all the time, 'We're selfish, we want to win.' And your locker room is empowered when that happens. Conversely, when those players in the locker room feel like you're playing someone that isn't necessarily the best, or they haven't seen that relative to someone else on the roster, maybe because you were drafted higher, the opposite can take place."
In other words, Jones hasn't necessarily lost his job while injured. But Zappe no longer is an afterthought, internally or externally, as the Patriots plot their path forward in 2022.
The Patriots, who improved to 3-3 with Sunday's 38-15 win over the Browns in Cleveland, will host the Chicago Bears next Monday night. It's unclear who will start at quarterback for New England, with Belichick offering little clarity one day after New England's Week 6 victory.
