Crystal Pouncey
Aug 30, 2023 - 01:15

Patriots Waive QBs Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham, Leaving Mac Jones without Backup

The New England Patriots waived backup QB Bailey Zappe and third-stringer Malik Cunningham, leaving Mac Jones without a backup.

The New England Patriots made some surprising moves on Tuesday, waiving backup quarterback Bailey Zappe and third-stringer Malik Cunningham. This decision leaves starting quarterback Mac Jones without a backup, and there have been no reports of any corresponding quarterback moves by the Patriots.

Zappe, who is 24 years old, had the opportunity to showcase his skills last season as a rookie when Jones suffered a high ankle sprain. He made four appearances, including two starts, and impressed with his performances. The Patriots emerged victorious in both games he started against the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns. Zappe showcased his accuracy, completing 70.6% of his passes, and averaged 195.3 yards per game. He threw five touchdown passes and had three interceptions during his four appearances.

Cunningham, on the other hand, was a standout dual-threat quarterback during his time at Louisville. As an undrafted rookie, he was hoping to secure a spot on the Patriots' roster. However, it remains unclear why the Patriots made the decision to waive both Zappe and Cunningham, and what their plan is moving forward in terms of the backup quarterback position. These cuts were made ahead of the NFL deadline for teams to trim their rosters to 53 players.

Jones, who is 25 years old, is entering his third season as the Patriots' starting quarterback. He was selected in the first round of the 2021 draft and showed promise in his rookie year, throwing 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. However, he experienced a regression in 2022, completing 65.2% of his passes for an average of 214.1 yards per game. He threw 14 touchdowns and had 11 interceptions in 14 starts.

During the offseason, there were speculations about Jones' status as the starter for the 2023 season, as head coach Bill Belichick did not commit to him. This led to discussions about Zappe potentially competing for the starting job. However, with the recent moves, it is clear that Jones is the undisputed starter, and Zappe is now available on the market.

The Patriots are set to kick off their season on September 10th against the Philadelphia Eagles, the reigning NFC champions. It is expected that they will make arrangements to fill the backup quarterback position before the game.