The Patriots released quarterback Bailey Zappe on Tuesday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, during the latest round of roster cuts but didn’t stop there. New England also waived Malik Cunningham, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, leaving Mac Jones as the lone quarterback on the Patriots roster.
Zappe was Jones’s backup last season and appeared in several games after Jones and veteran Brian Hoyer both went down with injuries. A fourth-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft out of Western Kentucky, he made his debut during the team’s Week 4 matchup against the Packers where he became the first rookie quarterback to throw a touchdown that season.
Over the course of the year, Zappe appeared in four games and started in two of them. He went 2–0 as a starter and completed 65 of his 92 passes for 781 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions.
Cunningham signed with New England as an undrafted free agent after opting to not play in the USFL despite getting drafted by the league’s Birmingham Stallions.
Despite the moves, the two players might not be gone for long. According to MassLive’s Karen Guregian, the Patriots are hoping to get both Zappe and Cunningham on the practice squad.
