For the second straight offseason, the New England Patriots drafted a quarterback. In 2021, the Patriots took Mac Jones, who New England hopes will be a longtime starter. And in 2022, the Patriots took Bailey Zappe. The expectations for the Western Kentucky quarterback are a little different.
Zappe is a project. In college, he lacked NFL-caliber processing power. That’s likely where New England will go to work with hopes of developing Zappe into a longtime backup and a spot starter. If he ever sees time on the field, the Patriots might just have him ready to play at a high level. And if he does play well, maybe the Patriots can trade him for a higher pick — not unlike what the team has done with quarterbacks in the past.
New England is betting on its ability to draft and develop quarterbacks — not only to use a player like Zappe as a backup but also as a potential source of draft capital in future years.
