“New England Patriots Put Matt Corral on Exempt/Left Squad List: Backup QB Reportedly Leaves Without Notice”

Matt Corral's future in football is uncertain after being placed on the exempt/left squad list by the New England Patriots.

Former third-round pick Matt Corral seemed to have a promising opportunity to secure a backup quarterback role with the New England Patriots after being claimed off waivers. However, just nine days later, his future in football is now uncertain.

The Patriots made the decision to place Corral on the exempt/left squad list on Saturday, following reports that they were planning to release him. According to the Boston Herald's Doug Kyed, this move was made after Corral left the team without providing any notice.

The Patriots initially claimed Corral off waivers on August 31, after surprisingly cutting their then-backup quarterback Bailey Zappe and third-stringer Malik Cunningham. This left Mac Jones as the sole passer on the roster. Corral had previously been released by the Carolina Panthers, who now have Bryce Young as their starting quarterback for the season.

Corral, who was selected as the 94th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft from Ole Miss, did not see any game action during his rookie year. However, it appeared that the Patriots had plans to utilize him as their second-string quarterback behind Jones.

But the quarterback situation took another twist when Zappe, who was drafted one round after Corral in 2022, cleared waivers and re-signed with the Patriots on their practice squad. On Saturday, he was elevated to the 53-man roster, coinciding with Corral's departure from the team, as reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. This essentially brought the Patriots back to their original depth chart prior to the August shakeup.

Zappe had the opportunity to showcase his skills in four games last season, creating excitement among fans when he replaced an injured Jones and won both of his starts. He threw for 781 yards, accumulating five touchdowns and three interceptions in his appearances.

Jones, who was selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, is entering his third season as the Patriots' starting quarterback. As a rookie, he threw for 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. However, his performance in the 2022 season was slightly different. He completed 65.2% of his passes, averaging 214.1 yards per game, with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 14 starts.

The Patriots are preparing to face the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in their season opener on Sunday. Although head coach Bill Belichick did not definitively declare Jones as the 2023 starter during the offseason, it seems likely that he will retain the role.

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