Bedard & Giardi: QB not yet announced; Patriots claim four players (2 on OL); Zappe goes to Chiefs practice squad

ONE QUICK UPDATE: Jerod Mayo said today that a QB decision has been made, but he won't announce it until he speaks to the players involved and the team on Thursday.

But he did give a hint ...

"Look, they've gone through the process as well. They've gone through the spring with these players. They've gone through training camp with these players. I'm sure they all have an opinion on who they think should be the starting quarterback, but I don't think I have to explain it to anyone else. It's my decision. And look, if it doesn't work, blame me.

 "I think it's important to remember what's good for the team today may not be good for the team weeks down the line. And so I think the challenge is, you want to win every single game now, but also we're trying to build something special here in New England. So that, to me, was a challenge."

...

"I think the important thing for me is the full body of work. So when I say competition, it's not just one day or one game, it's everything. And like I said earlier, there's different weights to those things that they do particularly well or not well. And so to me, it's the full body of work, the spring, the summer, and all of those things."

____________________

The Patriots had the No. 3 waiver claim priority with any non-vested veteran released on Tuesday and took full advantage, claiming four players - the second-most in the league behind Carolina's six.

The Patriots claimed offensive tackle Demontrey Jacobs (Broncos), offensive lineman Zach Thomas (Rams), linebacker Curtis Jacobs (Chiefs) and defensive tackle Eric Johnson (Colts).

The Patriots have released four players to make room for them. Those players (updating):

WR Jalen Reagor
CB Isaiah Bolden
DT Trysten Hill
OL Michael Jordan

Patriots have begun assembling their practice squad. So far (updating):

RB Terrell Jennings
WR Matt Landers
S AJ Thomas
TE Mitchell Wilcox
G/C Liam Fornadel
RB Kevin Harris
DE Jotham Russell (international player, doesn't count)

Players leaving:

QB Bailey Zappe (Chiefs practice squad)
DE Sam Roberts (Bears practice squad). 

A little about the four new players, who are all depth guys for now.

DEMONTREY JACOBS

LASTEST ROSTER

(Giardi): Spoke with an area scout who watched Jacobs in college. 

"Doesn't move well enough at this point to be a useful NFL player at this point, in my opinion," he said. "But I can understand the claim, thinking that another year of development could turn him into a swing tackle at this level. Those guys can be valuable and be valuable for cheap."

ZACH THOMAS

Giardi adds: At the time of his selection, Bears GM Ryan Poles said, "They're one of the few [college teams] out West that they'll just run power, and I think it shows a lot about his temperament. His physicality does stand out on tape."

"I hang my hat on just being a player that plays through the whistle on every play. I love putting guys on their backs..." said Thomas.

Speaking to a league source, he described Thomas as someone who could compete for playing time in New England quickly. "He's a smart kid. Tough. Physical. A little bit surprised the Rams parted ways with him."

CURTIS JACOBS

(Giardi) "For a guy who runs pretty well, he isn't in the middle of enough of the action," a front office exec texted me. "I just don't think he sees it fast enough. Special teamer as far as I'm concerned."

ERIC JOHNSON

(Giardi) "Run stuffer type," a scout told me. "Not an explosive athlete. Looked like the same player last year as he was as a rookie."

When Grover Stewart was out for six games last season, Johnson's playing time essentially doubled (95 snaps through the first six weeks, 149 over the next five), and the Colts went from allowing 3.7 yards per carry to 4.9.