Just a week after the Arizona Cardinals cut Jim Ned standout Colt McCoy, another TXHSFB quarterback received the axe. Despite a decent showing last season, former Victoria East gunslinger Bailey Zappe was cut from the New England Patriots. After passing through the waivers, he was signed to the team’s practice squad the next day.
The move comes as a bit of a surprise, considering many thought the job was quarterback Mac Jones’s starting job to lose.
Last season, in four appearances, Zappe competently filled in for the injured Jones, completing 70.7% of his passes for 781 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. As a practice squad player, he will earn $12,000 per week, the maximum allowed for his years in service in the NFL, per the CBA.
Quarterback Matt Corral is now currently second on the depth chart. However, Zappe is still in the running for the QB2 role, considering Corrals’ injury history. The then-Panthers quarterback suffered a season-ending foot injury in the preseason of his rookie year. He has yet to play a down of football in the NFL.
Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien championed Zappe’s potential after his practice squad signing:
“Bailey’s a much-improved player,” said coach O’Brien in a statement. “I know that Bailey has improved. I’m really happy that he’s back with us. Bailey’s a young player, as a lot of these guys are. When you talk about a guy only going into his second year, there’s a lot of improvement that’s been made, and there’s a good future.”
Zappe joined the Patriots as a fourth-round draft pick last year and saw two starts. However, following an inconsistent training camp, the second-year competitor was demoted.
As a Victoria E ast standout, Zappe threw for 3,770 yards and 37 touchdowns, while rushing for 633 yards and rushing for 15 touchdowns. Despite eye-popping numbers, Zappe wasn’t heavily recruited, and started his collegiate career by going the local JUCO route. Eventually, he transferred to Western Kentucky, where he led the entire FBS in passing yards, throwing for 5,545 yards and 56 touchdowns.
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