The New England Patriots are heading into a full-blown quarterback competition in 2023 as Bailey Zappe states he’s ready to take on Mac Jones following Bill Belichick’s noncommittal comments towards the former first-round pick. However, could the lukewarm sentiment regarding the position mean New England is a team that could shake up the 2023 NFL Draft by throwing its hat into the ring for one of the prized QBs?
Bailey Zappe Ready To ‘Take Full Advantage’ of Potential QB Battle
In the NFL, you either have a franchise quarterback you believe in or are riding the proverbial merry-go-round, hoping the ride doesn’t eventually come to a screeching halt.
Following a tumultuous 2022 campaign, recent reporting suggests Belichick might be willing to pull the E-brake before the Patriots’ offense comes crashing down. When asked at the annual league meeting in March, Belichick declined to name Mac Jones as the Patriots starting quarterback for 2023.
“Everybody will get a chance to play,” Belichick said when asked if there would be a QB competition in the summer. “We’ll play the best player.”
In typical Belichick fashion, he told reporters this mentality did not apply just to the quarterback position, saying it was the same for every position.
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Jones battled through injuries last year, yet did regress in his second season, ending the year with a lower completion percentage in passer rating than his rookie campaign. As expected, the Patriots also struggled, finishing the season 26th in yards per game and averaging just 208 passing yards.
Those injuries also led to one of the greatest stories of last year and one that might not have seen its final chapter play out.
“If my opportunity presents itself, I’m going to take full advantage of it,” Zappe said at a youth football clinic in Newport, Rhode Island, via Mass Live’s Chris Mason. “I’m going to do everything I can to help the team win. That’s really all I can say from that standpoint. That’s Coach Belichick’s decision, whatever he decides. But if the opportunity presents itself, I’m going to be ready and take advantage of it.”
The 2022 fourth-round pick said nothing unexpected in his comments, but given the support Zappe developed last season, several fans are ready to hand the keys of the franchise over to the former Hilltopper since many did not see a significant gap between Jones and Zappe.
Part of the 2023 Plan Must Be Repairing Damage
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted, “By the end of last year, the coaches didn’t think there was a massive chasm between the two. Jones has the physical edge, but not by a mile. Jones is also incredibly football smart, but Zappe’s sharp, too, and last year’s staff felt like Zappe closed any gap there by following the coach when Jones didn’t.”
However, it must be mentioned that Jones did lose support last season. According to Breer, “Regardless of how you’d split that blame up [Jones or coaching staff], Jones lost support in the building with the way he managed the challenges of the season.”
One person who has not lost faith in Jones — and the second most important voice/opinion — is New England owner Robert Kraft.
“I’m a big fan of Mac,” Kraft told the media. “I think he came to us as a rookie, he quarterbacked his rookie season and did a very fine job, I thought. We made the playoffs, I think we experimented with some things last year that frankly didn’t work when it came to him, in my opinion. And I think we made changes that put him in a good position to excel.
“… For me, I think I see him as a very hard-working young man. He’s in the stadium almost every day now in the offseason. Bringing in Bill O’Brien, I think will work to his advantage. I’m very positive and hopeful about this upcoming year, and I’m personally a very big fan of Mac.”
Jones has reportedly been in Foxboro trying to get a jumpstart on his third season in the NFL while working with New England’s new-look offensive coaching staff. Last season, Matt Patricia (a defensive coach) was the offensive coordinator, and Joe Judge (a special teams coach) was tasked as the quarterbacks coach.
Following what was an abject failure by many, the Patriots have given offensive coordinator duties to O’Brien as he tries to write the ship, which Patricia and Judge threw off course.
Hendon Hooker an Option for New England on Day 2?
The Lamar Jackson saga has dominated the headlines and has forced teams to evaluate their position. New England is no different but has made no outward push to acquire the former NFL MVP. Yet, that might not signify.
The 2023 NFL Draft is merely two weeks away, and while the Patriots are unlikely to make a sizable move for Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud, Hendon Hooker could be in play for them.
On a recent appearance on Steve Smith’s “Cut to It” podcast, NFL Network’s James Palmer stated some teams have Hooker graded quite a bit higher than many might be giving credit.
“You want to hear what teams think of Hendon Hooker? There are plenty of teams that have him above the bottom two that you mentioned [Anthony Richardson and Will Levis],” Palmer said. “There are plenty of teams that have him third on their list, right below those top two in Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud.”
MORE: Should the Baltimore Ravens Target Hendon Hooker To Replace Lamar Jackson?
There’s a lot to like in Hooker’s film. He has a strong arm, he’s accurate, and he can rip away from tacklers in the pocket to make plays with his legs, which has been lacking in the Patriots’ offense from the QB position for a long time. In his last two seasons at Tennessee, Hooker threw for 58 touchdowns with only five interceptions, also rushing for another 10, and completed nearly 70% of his passes.
A marquee victory against Alabama was the crown jewel of Hooker’sseason, which unfortunately ended too early when he tore the ACL in his left knee and has sidelined him for most of the pre-draft process.
Additionally, at 25 years old, Hooker is older. There are also a couple of questions about how he will transition to the NFL, given that Tennessee ran a very different playbook from that of a professional offensive scheme.
Hooker Has Continued To Draw Praise as the Draft Closes In
Interestingly enough, Hooker has drawn comparisons to a former Patriots quarterback in Jacoby Brissett, who was drafted by the team in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. NFL Networks Analytics Cynthia Frelund noted how “Hooker combines Brissett’s ability to execute and read progressions with Jones’ throwing velocity.”
ESPN’s Todd McShay also gave his opinions on Hooker in a recent mock draft, stating, “Hooker is accurate to every level of the field but really thrives throwing deep. Some scouts might be wary of drafting a 25-year-old QB, but he has the talent to lead an NFL offense. I’ve talked to folks with a few teams that even have Hooker above Levis on their internal boards. He has interviewed really well this spring, and the tape is phenomenal.”
Although Hooker may be viewed by a few teams as the QB3, he’s the QB5 in the eyes of many. The question becomes, how large is the gap between Levis and Hooker?
MORE: Hendon Hooker Falls Out of First Round in Pauline’s Mock Draft
New England’s first pick is at No. 14, which is not expected to be a quarterback. Yet, Round 2 (pick 46) becomes far more likely of a scenario should the Patriots want to go down this path and Hooker is still on the board.
Otherwise, players like Jake Haener, Tanner McKee, or Jaren Hall could be options. However, each is significantly further down the order when considering the Industry Consensus Big Board.
If there is any inkling the Patriots don’t think Jones is the guy, regardless of the draft capital invested, finding a signal-caller has to be the paramount goal — especially considering the QB play of the division, consisting of Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa, and potentially Aaron Rodgers.
While Hooker himself would not bring New England back to the promised land, he would have more upside than any quarterback currently on the depth chart.
