Bailey Zappe improved to 4-2 as a starter for his career on Sunday night, leading the Patriots to a 26-23 win over the Broncos in Denver.
Zappe completed 25-of-33 passes for 256 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. After an ugly 6-0 loss to the Chargers in his first start this season, Zappe has gone 2-1 since, completing 72.8% of his passes for 676 yards, six touchdowns, two picks and a 106.1 passer rating during those three games.
Making his weekly appearance on Gresh & Fauria on Tuesday (with Nick “Fitzy” Stevens and Andy Hart filling in), NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran praised Zappe for how much he has improved since a rough preseason – after which he got cut – but also wondered what kind of quarterback he’ll be moving forward. Listen to the full interview above.
“After watching him in preseason and training camp, he was unusable and deserved to be released,” Curran said of Zappe. “Whatever he did in the practices that led to Malik Cunningham leapfrogging him for the Raiders game, when the Patriots needed a spark, it couldn't have been good. So, you give him an immense amount of credit for persevering and getting to the point where he's here.
“…Everything that’s been put in front of him, he’s been able to finish his plate and do a nice job.”
So, who and what will Zappe be going forward?
“Who does he think he is? That's the question,” Curran said. “Who do you think you are? Do you think you're the next Brock Purdy? Kirk Cousins? Or do you realize you're probably more like Gardner Minshew? Or are you Tommy DeVito and Josh Dobbs? What are you? Who are you? At 24, 25, whatever he is now, he doesn't have to limit himself.
“But the Patriots have to decide, is this a guy who's solidified himself as the backup, number two, no matter what we do when we get a free-agent veteran like Baker Mayfield, for lack of a better example? I know he's probably not coming, but you go Mayfield and Zappe. Do we look at Zappe as a guy who can hold the spot warm if we draft Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye? Or do we look at Zappe as a guy who's still probably someone that we want to replace? If he was ever your starting quarterback, you would always be looking to replace him. That, to me, is my bottom line.”