Bailey Zappe started his NFL journey with the New England Patriots last season and played the whole season as the third-string quarterback. Yet his extraordinary playmaking abilities helped him to move to the backup quarterback spot after the injury of Mac Jones.
When the whole Patriots’ fan base was speculating the second-year quarterback was the perfect backup for their veteran quarterback Jones, the Patriots team stunned them by cutting Zappe before the regular season. This unpopular move of the Patriots team also shocked the young quarterback who was waving his NFL dream with them.
Bailey Zappe expresses shock at the unexpected release by the Patriots
In his debut year with the organization, the uber-productive QB earned a name for himself by filling in for an injured Brian Hoyer in Week 4 in Green Bay playing at a premium position.
When given the chance to play after the injury to the Patriots’ two seasoned quarterbacks, the 24-year-old assisted in the team’s victories over the Browns and Lions during regular-season contests. However, the quarterback was absolutely “blindsided” by the Patriots’ swift maneuver because he was not prepared for it.
Many of the veteran players on Zappes’ team were stunned by the decision to cut him, and many opened up about it, expressing their sorrow and grief for him even as they continued to support the team’s choice.
“It’s tough. These past couple days have been tough. You can come in one morning, and the guy you were just talking to, is gone. At the same time, I truly do believe what the coaches are doing, and the decisions they’re making … whatever they decide was best for the team, we’re all going to ride with it,” wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said.
Following his release, the young youngster’s teammate Matthew Slater also shed light on the matter, sharing his thoughts on the player, calling him “one of my favorite kids of all-time”.
Why did the Patriots release Bailey Zappe?
In order to reduce their roster to 53 players, the Patriots franchise announced on Tuesday that they had parted ways with second-year quarterback Bailey Zappe and undrafted rookie free agent quarterback Malik Cunningham. Their sudden and unexpected move left starter Jones as the only quarterback on the roster as the Patriots’ team reportedly kept options open for the quarterback to battle with Jones for the starter position.
Zappe had a difficult training camp, and the Patriots were quite concerned about his height. But they created a chance for the young guy, giving him the chance to fill Jones’ backup position. He averaged 5.0 yards per attempt, completed 58.8 percent of his throws, was sacked six times, and had a quarterback rating of 78.3.
After watching his performance under close inspection, Bill Belichick’s squad was not very satisfied with his performance, which prompted them to make a significant move before the regular season.
In just one year, Bailey participated in a number of significant fights and gained popularity in the locker room. A promising young star’s career was put in jeopardy by this cut, and it was likely his last time donning a Patriots uniform. What do you think of the Patriots’ choice? Do you believe the move to be justified?
