Mac Jones will be the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback to begin the 2023 NFL season. This much we know.
There’s some uncertainty behind Jones on New England’s depth chart, though, especially with the Patriots claiming former Carolina Panthers QB Matt Corral on waivers Thursday.
The addition of Corral came one day after Bailey Zappe — Jones’ backup last season — rejoined New England on the practice squad. The Patriots cut Zappe on Tuesday while finalizing their 53-man roster.
So, what does this all mean for the Patriots’ quarterback equation?
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“My understanding is that Corral and Zappe will compete for the backup job,” NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport said Thursday on the NFL Network. “Obviously safe to say, considering Zappe knows the offense so well, maybe he has the leg up, but definitely an intriguing flier that the Patriots just took on a young quarterback.”
The Panthers released Corral on Wednesday, opening the door for him to join the Patriots. Carolina’s decision was somewhat surprising. The Panthers selected Corral in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft (94th overall), fittingly with a pick they acquired from the Patriots.
Corral missed his entire rookie season with a Lisfranc ligament tear he suffered in a preseason game against — you guessed it — the Patriots. He’ll now seemingly compete with Zappe, whom New England selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft (137th overall) with a pick it acquired from the Panthers in the trade that landed Corral in Carolina.
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Funny how that all worked out, huh?
The Patriots also have undrafted quarterback Malik Cunningham on their practice squad after he cleared waivers this week. Cunningham, who was used in various roles throughout training camp, made waves with an impressive preseason debut. His star quickly faded, though.
To recap, the Patriots had four quarterbacks as of Friday. It’ll be interesting to see how things shake out beyond Jones, a 2021 first-round pick who’s entering a potential make-or-break third season in Foxboro.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
