Recently Released Patriot Cheers On Bailey Zappe During Chargers Game

Bailey Zappe had a fellow Patriots draft pick in his corner as he made his first start of the 2023 season.

Shortly after the second-year quarterback took the field Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, ex-New England cornerback Jack Jones voiced his support on social media.

"Let's go zappe," Jones posted on the X platform, adding a fire emoji.

The Patriots selected Zappe and Jones in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The latter now is with the Las Vegas Raiders after being released by New England last month. The former got the starting nod Sunday over the struggling Mac Jones, who was benched in each of the previous two games and four of the last eight.

Zappe faced a favorable matchup against a leaky Chargers pass defense, but he was without New England's No. 1 pass-catcher, as rookie wideout Demario Douglas missed Sunday's game with a concussion.

The Patriots also lost arguably their best offensive player when running back Rhamondre Stevenson suffered an ankle injury during the first quarter and had to be helped to the locker room.

The 2-9 Patriots entered the Week 13 matchup as 4.5-point home underdogs against Justin Herbert and the Chargers. A loss would boost their odds of landing a top-three pick in the 2024 draft, which they could use to select their quarterback of the future.