All of a sudden, the New England Patriots have a fairly competent offense.
It took most of the season and a quarterback change for it to happen, but the Patriots have averaged 21.3 points scored over their last three games. They generated just 30 points total from Week 9 through Week 13.
One of the reasons for the uptick in scoring has been the play of Bailey Zappe. The Patriots finally moved on from Mac Jones beginning in Week 13 when Zappe started against the Los Angeles Chargers. Zappe is 2-2 as the starter this season with six touchdown passes and two interceptions during that span.
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His most recent outing was a strong one. Zappe completed 25 of 33 pass attempts for 265 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions in a 26-23 win over the Denver Broncos. Zappe went 3-of-3 on the final drive in the fourth quarter to get the Patriots in position for a game-winning field goal attempt, which rookie kicker Chad Ryland nailed from 56 yards out.
If Zappe's quality performances continue, could the Patriots decide not to take a quarterback with a top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft? Would it make more sense in that scenario to draft the top wide receiver or left tackle on the board?
This was one of several topics discussed on a new episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast with Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry.
🔊 Pats Talk: Resilient Bailey Zappe is making his case for... something | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
"Only if you feel like you don't love the quarterbacks at the top of the draft," Perry said. "If you look at Jayden Daniels and think he's more Drew Lock than Lamar Jackson, then don't take him. Take the left tackle, take the wide receiver, especially if you don't have an opportunity to take Drake Maye or Caleb Williams. Don't force it there.
"But I also would hope, understanding that might not happen, that you don't love one of the quarterbacks -- and they're already talking about these guys. The scouts are all in from the road, and they have a lot of information already on these guys. If that's the case, you better do something in free agency so that Zappe isn't the only guy."
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There's also the possibility that a strong end to the season for Zappe could increase his trade value enough that opposing teams make the Patriots a legit offer that they shouldn't refuse.
"Is there anybody out there that might look at him and say, 'We sort of like what we have at the starter position, but we're not really sure and we don't have a backup yet, either, and that Zappe kid lit it up the last month of the season'? Would you ever send an early Day 3 pick, maybe it's a fourth-round pick?" Perry said. "That would be a really interesting decision for the Patriots to have to make. Just using the Matt Flynn example (the Seattle Seahawks received a 2014 fifth round pick and a conditional 2015 draft pick for Flynn in a 2013 trade with the Oakland Raiders), it doesn't take much to get teams to fall in love with a quarterback."
The Patriots finish the regular season at the Buffalo Bills in Week 17 and home to the New York Jets in Week 18.
Also in this episode:
- Bailey Zappe is making his case for... something
- How did Zappe’s performance stack up with performances of last two years?
- If you draft a QB, do you want Zappe as the mentor?
- What does it mean that Kraft hasn’t met with Belichick yet?