listen live to weei 93.7:
We made it, our final edition of Patriots Depth Projection.
The Patriots officially begin their 2023 campaign on Wednesday, and over the last several weeks we've taken an in-depth look at each of New England’s ten position rooms here at WEEI.com to name trade candidates, predict highs and lows, project who makes the team, and grade each group heading into this season.
Here’s a look at the first nine rooms we looked at:
Depth projection: Linebackers
Depth projection: Defensive line
Depth projection: Specialists
Depth projection: Offensive line
Depth projection: Tight ends
Depth projection: Cornerbacks
Depth projection: Safeties
Depth projection: Running backs
Depth projection: Wide receivers
We're wrapping up the series with the most important position in all of football, the quarterback:
The Rundown:
I’ve done a lot of “microscope” talk over the course of Depth Projection, but New England’s quarterback room is the one that will have by far the most eyes on it over the next month.
This is, of course, because it’s commanded by Mac Jones, who the Patriots selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Now entering his third season in New England, the Alabama product is ready to return to “normal” after a rollercoaster sophomore season.
His backup, Bailey Zappe, was a fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky in 2022 and got an unexpected taste of NFL football due to Jones’ ankle injury. Despite there likely being no true starting quarterback competition, Zappe's ready to fight for a spot heading into camp.
The room is rounded out by Trace McSorley, who the Patriots signed this offseason, likely as a camp arm. The former Penn State Nittany Lion played in six games for the Arizona Cardinals last season, throwing five interceptions.
Malik Cunningham is also listed as a quarterback on New England’s roster, but I counted him as a specialist for this exercise.
jones and mego: Could Mac Jones play his way into an extension this season?
Who we’re sleeping on:
Mac Jones.
After all the scuttlebutt, stories, and rumors surrounding the Patriots third-year quarterback this offseason, I still think we’re sleeping on just how good he can be.
Jones undoubtedly got the short end of the stick in 2022, and anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves. After a solid rookie season where he threw for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and put up a 92.5 passer rating, Bill Belichick handed him Matt Patricia and Joe Judge to call the offense and help him “grow”. Instead, he shrunk.
He now gets Bill O’Brien. A smart, experienced, NFL play caller who knows how to get the best out of his personnel. O'Brien's pre-snap heavy, matchup-driven, high IQ system is perfect for Jones, whose superpower is his brain.
These two were already on the same page for much of the Patriots’ offseason program this Spring, and that will only continue to grow with familiarity through the end of the Summer.
Surprise cut:
None.
My final cop out of the Depth Projection series.
There’s no shot they cut Mac or Zappe, and it won’t be a surprise when McSorely and Cunningham get released.
Trade candidate:
Bailey Zappe.
Speaking of Zappe, they can’t cut him because he’d actually has some value on the trade market if they wanted to move on from him.
The second-year pro showed potential when called upon for an injured Mac Jones last season, going 2-0 in two starts and throwing for 781 yards and five touchdowns in four appearances. If a team got desperate and over-valued Zappe and one of Trace McSorely or Malik Cunningham show an ability to be a serviceable back-up, then maybe Belichick would pull the trigger.
I don’t see this actually happening, but he’s the one guy (outside of the franchise QB) that the Patriots could get something in return for.
Full roster projection:
In: Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe
Out: Trace McSorley
Grade heading into 2023:
C.
While I’m bullish on Mac Jones, he still has a lot to prove, and Zappe didn’t end last season on the right foot either. This is a sink or swim room that gets a C for now.
That’s it! Thank you all for tuning into Patriots Depth Projection over the last several weeks, I hope it made the count down to training camp easier. As always, be sure to keep it here at WEEI.com for all the latest news out of Foxborough. Season starts Wednesday.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
Related
