The New England Patriots’ signing of former Carolina Panthers quarterback Matt Corral has left more questions than answers for a team that typically marches to the beat of its own drum.
Coach Bill Belichick made the shocking decision to cut the Patriots’ No. 2 quarterback, Bailey Zappe, and rookie backup Malik Cunningham on Tuesday. That move alone left Mac Jones as the lone quarterback on the roster with less than two weeks away from the regular season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Buy Patriots TicketsThere was panic, pandemonium and straight up confusion regarding the team’s direction for the season.
On Wednesday, Belichick re-signed both Zappe and Cunningham to the practice squad, before signing Corral to the main roster on Thursday. Is Corral Zappe’s new replacement? Does this mean Zappe is officially on borrowed time in New England?
Let’s delve into those questions and more with this latest roster shake-up from the Patriots.
1
Corral could legitimately be viewed as the Patriots' new No. 2 quarterback
Corral was signed to the 53-man roster, while Zappe remains on the practice squad. Granted, that could all change at the snap of a finger, but it drives home the point that the Patriots were not happy with what they saw from their second-year quarterback throughout training camp and the preseason.
The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan reported a source within the organization summing Zappe’s performance up into two words: “He stunk”.
The Patriots now have four quarterbacks in total on the team with Jones and Corral on the main roster, while Zappe and Cunningham are currently on the practice squad. It’s a humbling fall for Zappe, who some fans wanted as the starter in 2022.
At this point, he might not even be the No. 2 option behind Jones, especially if Corral shows more promise at practice. Zappe-Mania is on the verge of being down for the count.
2
Zappe's greatest trump card no longer exists
One of the biggest shockers surrounding Zappe’s release is the fact that he was a fourth-round draft pick playing in only his second year. That’s a guy that typically gets a bit more leeway as a developmental project.
Granted, he wasn’t a first or second-round draft pick, but a mid-round pick isn’t something that would typically be considered as a throwaway pick, either.
Still, Belichick was willing to take that gamble and risk another team potentially claiming Zappe on waivers. Corral’s arrival certainly changes things considering he was also drafted in 2022, along with Zappe, but he was a third-round pick for the Panthers.
His draft stock is higher, and the Patriots have already shown they aren’t afraid to cut bait with Zappe. They’ve done it once before, and if Zappe doesn’t improve, they’d likely do it again.
3
The more dynamic option is evident
Corral is without question the more dynamic option of the two quarterbacks. He’s poised in the pocket enough to stand tall and make good throws downfield, and he also has the wheels to take off and seriously threaten opposing defenses on the ground.
He closed out his collegiate career with Ole Miss by throwing for 3,349 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and only five interceptions. The latter stat might be the most appealing to the Patriots.
While there are still big questions regarding Corral’s throwing accuracy, he has shown the ability to take care of the football and avoid the sort of backbreaking turnovers that haunted the Patriots throughout the 2022 season.
The biggest takeaway might be the fact that he isn’t a statue under center. When plays break down, he can roll out and make things happen with his legs, which is something the Patriots lack at quarterback outside of Cunningham, who might not be ready to take the reins.
4
Corral has more upside potentially long-term
We’ve already established the fact that Corral is the more dynamic option over Zappe. With both players being only 24 years old, Corral is the quarterback with more upside.
His dual-threat abilities mimic the new-age quarterbacks under center. The ability to stick to the script is important, but it’s also important to be able to make plays when things in the pocket break down and receivers aren’t open initially.
New England saw that kind of effort first-hand with second-year quarterback Malik Willis and the Titans in the preseason finale.
Even though the defense consistently got pressure, Willis’ ability to escape from the pocket and extend plays ultimately led to the Patriots’ undoing. Corral missed his entire rookie season with a foot injury (Lisfranc). This is a low risk, high reward sort of signing that could pay off big for the Patriots if Corral is developed properly in their system.
5
No, Zappe isn't finished in New England
While Corral’s arrival does put Zappe’s feet to the fire a bit, it doesn’t necessarily signal the end for the 2022 fan-favorite quarterback.
Zappe has a head-start in the offense, and he is 2-0 as a starter in the NFL. Corral has yet to even take his first NFL snap in a regular season game. There’s also the fact that the Panthers saw him up until his injury, and they still used their first-round draft pick to start over at quarterback with Bryce Young.
Everything that happens from here on out is up to Zappe. He could take the situation as serious motivation to get a better grasp of the offense and improve on the field. It wasn’t a great training camp or preseason for him this time around, but it clearly isn’t the end of the world.
He has already shown that he isn’t afraid to step up in game moments and make plays for the team. His main issue is doing a better job of proving it on the practice field.
