Zappe Welcomes Patriots 2024 QB Competition: 'Bring It On!'
In a literal sense, the New England Patriots have their quarterback of the future ... as long as that hereafter exclusively refers to this coming Sunday, the final day of the 2023 NFL season.
Bailey Zappe continues to hold the thankless task of serving as the New England Patriots' quarterback during the portions of their schedule officially rendered irrelevant by mathematical elimination. An intriguing offseason awaits Zappe, as it's widely assumed that the Patriots will look for a new franchise face, even though the fourth-round pick from 2022 will play 2024 on the third year of his rookie deal.
Zappe addressed the possibility on the "Jones and Mego" show on WEEI, welcoming the idea of competition come this summer.
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“I’m looking forward to competing against whoever comes in here for that job," Zappe said. "I’m going to do the same thing I did last offseason: get ready to be the guy. If my name is called, I’m going to do the best thing I can to help the team win. Hopefully, it is and we get after it next year.”
The second-year thrower has made these final hours at least somewhat tolerable: under Zappe's watch, New England (4-12) has beaten playoff contenders from Denver and Pittsburgh and posted respectable efforts against frequent contenders Buffalo and Kansas City. While that's enough to partly atone for the dreariness of Mac Jones' last snaps, Zappe has done far from enough to make anyone in Foxborough believe he's capable of holding the long-term title of Patriots franchise quarterback.
The search for such will commence as soon as the Patriots wrap up their woebegone season on Sunday against the New York Jets (1 p.m. ET, Fox). While some intriguing names linger on the free agency front, many foresee the Patriots using what will likely be their highest draft pick since 1993 (top choice Drew Bledsoe) on the latest heir to the Tom Brady throne.
Summer competition would be nothing new for Zappe, who held off Malik Cunningham and Trace McSorley at the beginning of the year for the right to backup Jones in his vital third year as the offensive headliner. After a few false starts, Zappe held the job throughout December and will keep it for the Jets' visit. Barring injury to the presumed newcomer and despite his apparent determination, it'll likely be the last start he makes as a Patriot.
