New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe (4) Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots make puzzling decision at backup quarterback

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 9/9/23

The New England Patriots have made their call on who will back up Mac Jones at quarterback.

The Patriots elevated Bailey Zappe to the 53-man roster on Saturday and released Matt Corral, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. That essentially means the Patriots will open the season with the same quarterback depth chart they had for most of the preseason.

The #Patriots are releasing QB Matt Corral as the corresponding move, source says. https://t.co/Si3KH3tGJ5

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 9, 2023

Corral was seen as an intriguing addition for the Patriots, having claimed him off waivers from the Carolina Panthers at the end of the preseason. He was a third-round pick in the 2022 draft, and the move seemed to signal that Zappe had real competition for the backup role.

The Patriots may have had a different plan with Corral and Zappe that was ultimately foiled by the NFL. Corral will now look for a new landing spot, with Zappe getting the QB2 designation.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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