Will Bailey Zappe Be The Patriots' Starting Quarterback in 2023? Fantasy Football Outlook

New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe played in four games and started two games for an injured Mac Jones in 2022 and showed some promise in his limited action. Meanwhile, Jones regressed from his rookie season to his sophomore season, so there could be a quarterback controversy this offseason in New England.

As a redshirt senior, Zappe broke Joe Burrow's single-season passing touchdown record as an FBS quarterback, tossing 62 touchdowns in 2021. Jones was a first-round pick in 2021 while Zappe was a fourth-rounder in 2022, so while Jones likely has the leg up, his job doesn't seem 100 percent safe at this point in the offseason.

How did Zappe perform in 2022 and could he start for the Patriots in 2023? Let's dive in.

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Bailey Zappe 2022 Season Review

In four games of action. Zappe completed 65 of his 92 passing attempts (70.7 percent) for 781 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. He won both of his starts against the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns but struggled in relief of Jones in Week 7 against the Chicago Bears.

Ultimately, Jones was handed back the keys to the offense and Zappe did not appear in a game after Week 7. However, some Patriots fans believe Zappe should have gotten more opportunities and they might've been right.

Jones posted a 6-8 record as a starter, completing 288 of his 442 passing attempts (65.2 percent) for 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He regressed in every statistical passing category, but a lot of the struggles are attributed to the change from Josh McDaniels to Matt Patricia as offensive coordinator.

Could Bailey Zappe Be The Patriots' Starting Quarterback in 2023?

According to Sports Illustrated senior NFL reporter Albert Breer, there isn't a "massive gap" between New England Patriots QBs Jones and Zappe. The former Alabama signal-caller also had some disagreements with head coach Bill Belichick, which landed him in hot water during the season.

There have been a few rumors circulating on a potential Jones trade to the Raiders, but for now, there's not enough buzz to take it too seriously.

There's no clear indication that Zappe has a shot at being the starter. However, there is still plenty of time before the start of the 2023-24 campaign, so there could be more to this story moving ahead. In the meantime, dynasty managers should consider keeping Zappe on the roster in case he does become the Patriots' QB1.

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