Bailey Zappe starting at quarterback for the Patriots in Week 5 is seeming more and more likely. In addition to Mac Jones still dealing with his ankle injury, Brian Hoyer was placed on injured reserve Thursday after leaving Week 4’s game against the Packers due to a concussion.
Now, Jones is doing his best to get back on the field as soon as possible. He was a limited participant at practice on Wednesday, as well as Thursday.
If Jones remains sidelined and Zappe gets the nod, Garrett Gilbert would be in line to be New England’s back-up QB after recently re-signing with the team for his third tour as a member of the Patriots’ practice squad.
Although Zappe is just a rookie, Gilbert doesn’t have much more experience than the 2022 fourth-round pick. Drafted in 2014, Gilbert didn’t play in a game until 2018 and only appeared in eight games between then and 2021.