The second wave of Zappe Fever is over.
The New England Patriots on Tuesday cut veteran quarterback Bailey Zappe, according to multiple reports. The move was made ahead of the 4 p.m. ET deadline for final roster cutdowns.
Let’s get into what the move means for Zappe and the Patriots.
Patriots Make Bailey Zappe a Casualty of Roster Cutdown Day
NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero was the first to report the news of Zappe’s release. He added that Zappe “should have options” with multiple NFL teams looking for backup quarterbacks.
With several teams in the backup QB market, Bailey Zappe should have options.
New England now has 3 QBs on the roster: Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye and Joe Milton. https://t.co/NkoIhQtFD9
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 27, 2024
In releasing Zappe, the Patriots seemingly decided to keep three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster: Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, and Joe Milton III.
As of Tuesday afternoon, head coach Jerod Mayo hadn’t announced a starter for New England’s Week 1 road game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Patriots also could add a veteran QB to their practice squad after Tuesday’s deadline. You can click here to read Pro Football Network’s Patriots roster cuts tracker, which is updated with the latest transactions.
PFN Analysis: Does Zappe Still Have a Future With the Patriots?
The Patriots could add Zappe to the practice squad, although it’s fair to wonder whether the third-year pro would be interested in such a demotion for the second consecutive season.
Zappe was cut last August but eventually was re-signed to the 53-man roster. He started the final six games of the 2023 season while filling in for a bottomed-out Mac Jones.
A fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Zappe became a popular player over his two seasons in New England. Although he offered some impressive moments as a fill-in starter, Zappe never had a path toward becoming a long-term starter for the Patriots.
He split third-string reps with Milton throughout training camp this summer, but Milton, a sixth-round rookie, showed more upside. The writing was on the wall for Zappe from the moment Milton was drafted.
Zappe’s been counted out before, so Patriots fans would be unwise to count him out this time. However, at this point, his time in New England appears to be finally over.