There is an elephant in the Patriots’ QB room this spring.
No, it’s not some ill-advised mural that’s been painted on the wall of the room as part of the Jerod Mayo-led culture change at Gillette Stadium.
Nor is it the obvious shadow that Tom Brady’s legacy casts over everyone and anyone playing quarterback in New England, especially with the GOAT scheduled to be in town for his June 12th Patriots Hall of Fame induction extravaganza.
Rather, the elephant in the QB room is the question as to where former starter and Foxborough cult fan favorite Bailey Zappe fits on the depth chart at the most important position in all of sports.
Zappe is the only returning quarterback on the roster, surrounded by veteran journeyman signing and presumed bridge starter Jacoby Brissett, No. 3 overall pick and presumed franchise QB Drake Maye and sixth-round rookie physical freak Joe Milton III.
As Zappe himself noted, Brissett and Maye make a lot more money than he does. And Milton has obvious arm strength and tools that even Zappe marvels at.
So where does that leave the 2022 fourth-round pick, the guy who went 2-0 as a starter filling in for an injured Mac Jones as a rookie to ignite Zappe Fever?
He doesn’t measure up to Brissett in terms of overall experience or even in regards to experience in Alex Van Pelt’s new-look New England scheme that the veteran ran when the duo shared time with the Browns.
He doesn’t measure up in terms of physical size or tools to any of the other three passers, a group of four that Mayo has indicated could be whittled down to three by training camp.
In short, it doesn’t seem that Zappe fits in or has much of a future in New England.
And yet, this spring at OTAs, there he is taking reps behind Brissett in most drills. Taking reps seemingly away from Maye in the young stud’s development.
So, does Zappe actually believe he’s competing for the Patriots’ starting job this May, four OTA practices now under his belt alongside the trio of noteworthy newcomers?
“I mean, that’s what I’ve been told. So that’s what I’m gonna keep doing,” Zappe said.
Just because you’re told something, doesn’t mean you believe it or make it true. Eric Cartman’s mom frequently told her son that he wasn’t fat, simply big-boned. And, well…
“They’ve told all of us that there is going to be a competition,” Zappe relayed, continuing to say the right things. “Everybody is going to have the opportunity to go out there and prove that they can be that guy. All four of us are going to do our best to do that and whoever gets that job the other three of us are going to help that guy do whatever he can on the field to win games.”
But even Mayo acknowledged that Zappe, who started six games last fall, is in an “awkward” spot.
“I think he has handled it fantastically,” Mayo said. “Look, he is getting reps out here. You guys see him out here, and I would say he is getting better.”
And Brissett, who’s seen plenty during his eight NFL seasons bouncing around QB rooms in New England, Indianapolis, Miami, Cleveland, Washington and back to New England, realizes the situation is nowhere near normal nor ideal for his young teammate.
“I like Zap a lot, man. He just goes out there and competes,” Brissett said. “And the elephant in the room, this is a tough situation for him. And he’s accepted that. He’s going out there every day and competing and he’s doing a really good job and making a lot of plays. I’m excited for his growth.”
So, for now, it is what it is. Zappe is on the roster, on the depth chart and on the practice field. He’s taking his reps as they are given. He’s taking the team and the coaches at their word in regards to his competing for the starting job and a roster spot.
And, yet, everyone seems to realize that the writing is on the wall in the Patriots QB room. That as much as Zappe is part of the present, he certainly doesn’t appear to be part of the future at the position.
“Obviously we all want to go out there. We all want to be the quarterback. We all want to be the starter,” Zappe said. “But there is only one guy that can go out there.”
Deep down it feels like he knows that won’t be him.
And it seems like everyone else knows that too.