Pats Cutting Bailey Zappe Is All About Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo

Bill Belichick is one part NFL head coach, one part NFL historian and one part (okay maybe like 0.5 parts) NFL GM.

Sometimes learning from history doesn’t mean looking way back into the past, either. Bill remembers full well how much drama the Tom Brady-Jimmy Garoppolo situation brought to New England, and he’s decided to act dramatically to crush any potential drama here for Mac Jones.

The New England Patriots released all of QB2 Bailey Zappe, QB3 Malik Cunningham and QB4 Trace McSorley. Now Mac Jones is not only the QB1 in New England, but he’s the one QB.

Zappe played very well in relief of Jones last year while Jones was hurt and dealt with a clear sophomore slump. There were quiet rumblings among some fans that Zappe should even be the starter for 2023.

And you better believe that, if Jones struggled early in 2023, those rumblings would get much louder.

Bill knows about the drama this can cause first-hand.

When he drafted Jimmy Garoppolo as a potential successor to Tom Brady, and it seemed like any time Tom had an off game at least some of the more out-there talking heads in the NFL media were suddenly speculating about whether it was time for Jimmy G.

If they were doing that to the GOAT, can you imagine what they’d do to Mac? And while Mac might have some mental toughness from having been in the spotlight dating back to his college days, not everyone can withstand criticism the way that Brady does. Especially when they’re still just 24 years old.

So Belichick nipped the problem in the bud. He can’t stand drama and doesn’t want to expose Mac to it, so he made a massive move to display absolute, unquestioned confidence in his franchise quarterback.

And there’s reason to have faith in Jones.

Last season was obviously a rough one, but with a totally lackluster wide receiver corps and no offensive coordinator, can you really blame Jones for the decline in play?

Jones had ranked No. 13 in Pro Football Focus’ passing grade as a rookie, and you don’t just suddenly lose the ability to throw the football overnight.

Circumstances are much better this year with the additions to the offense and with Bill O’Brien back as New England’s offensive coordinator. Mac now appears headed toward the same kind of Year 3 breakout we’ve seen from some of the other top quarterbacks in the AFC East.

Now, don’t expect the Patriots to enter the season with only one quarterback on the roster, of course. They’ll have a backup, it just won’t be one that causes the media to make a stir about quarterback controversies.

Hey, does anyone know if the Raiders are making Brian Hoyer available?

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