Bailey Zappe Reveals Offseason Goals, Top Areas Of Improvement

FOXBORO, Mass. -- Bill Belichick believes Bailey Zappe is far ahead of where he was this time last year, and the second-year Patriots quarterback clearly agrees with his head coach.

A year ago, Zappe looked like little more than an average backup quarterback after being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He went on to submit one of the most polarizing four-game stretches for a quarterback in Patriots history, earning legions of supporters in the process. It was a strange time.

There's no doubt that Zappe now has a real opportunity on his hands, and the work he put in over the last six-plus months could put him in a position to make the most of it.

"About 100% more (comfortable)," Zappe said after Sunday's training camp practice. "It's night-and-day difference for me. Just speaking from a defensive standpoint, being able to see defenses pre- and post-snap has been the biggest thing for me. And I think that kind of translates to meeting with both Bills (Belichick and O'Brien). Watching more film, just diving into the playbook and everything has kind of slowed the game down for me."

Interceptions were an issue for Zappe during last summer's training camp, and he threw three in four games during the regular season. Eliminating those kinds of mistakes was a focal point of his spring and summer work.

"Try to limit the turnovers," Zappe said when asked for his offseason goals. "(Make) big plays and completions. Try to lead the offense to score touchdowns."

Zappe was the clear No. 2 quarterback behind Mac Jones during New England's first five training camp practices, and his play was inconsistent. However, he enjoyed a great day Sunday, highlighted by some of the best passing plays from Week 1 of camp.

What's it all mean? Honestly, it still is too early to tell -- but Belichick still won't rule out the possibility of a quarterback competition.