FOXBOROUGH - Bailey Zappe is in line to start his first game of the year on Sunday when the Patriots host the Chargers. Per a team source, Zappe got the lion's share of the practice reps for a second straight day. However, the second-year pro out of Eastern Kentucky wouldn't admit that he was starting.
"That's a Coach Belichick question," he said from in front of his locker after Thursday's practice. "I'll let him answer that."
Well, we know how that will go, which is to say not well because Bill is Bill. Let's play the hypothetical game with Zappe - what would it mean to you if you did start?
"I'm going to do everything I can to help the team win. So, that's pretty simple."
Not exactly an electric factory, is he? That's fine. I get it. Zappe doesn't need to go rogue and not abide by Belichick's archaic media rules. Especially not now. Not after waiting 11 painful weeks to get his opportunity, and not after being cut three months ago. That's some kind of ride.
"I mean, it's been crazy," he said when asked to reflect. "Been a lot of talks with both (Matt) Slater and coach (he later clarified all the coaches) and everything, but I mean, it's part of the journey, part of - I guess everybody says - it's part of your book, part of your chapter. Whatever you want to say."
Zappe admitted needing to be "very patient" to wait for this chance but that he's remained focused every week on being ready if his number was called. It has been, repeatedly, with Mac Jones being benched. Zappe had success last year, winning his only two starts. Perhaps he can find that magic again, although that may be counterproductive when thinking of draft position and the potential of finding a franchise quarterback or left tackle. Of course, the current roster doesn't give a damn about that.
The other layer to the QB switcheroo is that, once again, rookie Malik Cunningham is getting the majority of reps as the backup. Yes, the same Malik Cunningham who last worked at quarterback in week six. That means Mac is in line to either be the emergency QB or not dress at all. It may make a difference. It may not. Considering how this season has gone, I wonder how anyone could feel confident in finding sustained success.
"There's not one magical thing you're going to do midway through the year, player-wise, even the trades; it's very rare a guy comes in and fixes everyone's problems," said center David Andrews this morning. "When teams fix problems, it's when they're all together, and they're more consistent making better moves and better execution, not making mistakes and things like that as a football team. It's never just one guy."
That said, Jones' poor play has led to him being benched in four of the team's 11 games, and, as I tweeted earlier in the day, the Pats needed to do something with the dispirited quarterback, who has become everyone's favorite whipping boy.
On Mac Jones, talked to a pair of team sources. One said he's "emotionally and mentally beat up. He's poured everything into it, so to get this little out of it is exhausting." Another added Mac has been "pressing" and is "beat up."
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) November 30, 2023
Jones walked through the locker room Wednesday, talking with cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino and politely declining a request to speak with the media. Later, he talked to a couple reporters individually before heading to the weight room. He followed a similar routine today, not lingering at his locker with a large contingent of reporters and cameras camped out around Zappe's locker.
"That dude, I'll tell you one thing, his attitude with everything going on, he's very positive," said JuJu Smith-Schuster. "He's a professional character in all this, very supportive of everyone."
Another team source noted that Mac remained involved in the game last Sunday after he was replaced by Zappe.
"He didn't sulk," said the source. "He did what he could to help Billy (O'Brien) and Zap."
There have been a lot of rumors about what kind of teammate Jones is and how the locker room feels about the person (beyond what we've reported about how they think of him as a player). Mike Lombardi needlessly savaged him on his podcast this week. But from actually being in the locker room and talking to people who would know on the subject, there is no disdain for the kid, only the acknowledgment that it wasn't working and this switch was long overdue.