It’s all change at quarterback for the New England Patriots, and not just because Jacoby Brissett replaced Mac Jones and the team drafted Drake Maye. There’s additional change further down the depth chart, where Maye’s fellow rookie Joe Milton III has been playing ahead of incumbent Bailey Zappe at training camp.
The “notable” change was spotted by the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed on Thursday, July 25.
Getting reps ahead of a former starter is decent step up for Milton. The sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft has the arm strength and dual-threat skills to give the Patriots a more viable playmaker at the third quarterback spot.
Milton’s apparent ascension can also be another incentive for the Pats to move on from Zappe. Perhaps by finding a trade partner for the third-year pro.
Bailey Zappe’s on Borrowed Time
A lack of reps this early in camp needn’t be critical for Zappe’s future with the Patriots, but ceding playing time to Milton is hardly a positive sign. As Mark Daniels of MassLive.com pointed out, “Throughout the spring and during the first day of camp, Bailey Zappe was either the second or third quarterback during team drills. Seeing him drop back to No. 4 was noteworthy.”
This is a new regime with Jerod Mayo replacing Bill Belichick as head coach and Alex Van Pelt being hired as offensive coordinator. They are wiping the slate clean at football’s most important position. It’s why Brissett is back after an eight-year absence, and why the Patriots used the third-overall pick to take Maye off the board.
There’s not much room for Zappe, despite his 4-4 record as a starter, per StatMuse. Zappe boasts ample first-team experience, but the 25-year-old has also been guilty of too many erratic decisions and costly mistakes.
Those errors include this interception of a ball thrown late against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15 last season.
This was one of nine picks thrown by Zappe during limited action last term. Turnovers have been the bane of Zappe’s time as a starter, but not everybody thinks Mayo and Van Pelt should give up on No. 4 just yet.
Among those who still have faith, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe believes the Patriots “may want to stay open-minded about keeping Zappe.” Volin watched Zappe during the opening day of camp on Wednesday, July 24 and “saw a determined, focused player who ran his drills crisply, made the majority of his throws, and seemed to have a good command of the offense.”
Zappe can put some good things on the field this offseason, but Milton’s intangibles may still convince coaches to make any change permanent.
Joe Milton III Showing Natural Upside
Milton’s upside is defined by his awesome throwing power. The latter quality was vividly personified by this impressive heave at camp, highlighted by Mike Kadlick of CLNS Media.
A signal-caller able to cover so much of the field with a single flick of the wrist can expand what’s been a pedestrian and small-ball passing game for the Patriots. Zappe has been part of the problem by averaging just six yards per completion in 2023.
Milton’s athleticism should give him the inside track toward rounding out the game-day depth chart. Especially if he makes more plays like the one described by MassLive.com’s Chris Mason, when Milton “evaded the pocket and flicked a ball off his back-foot that went for a deep completion on the side field. It was eye-grabbing even as the starters worked on the field opposite.”
Giving Milton more work at camp can help the Patriots refine the raw edges in the 24-year-old’s game and find out exactly what they have in the former Tennessee star.
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