3 Patriots on Thin Ice After Blowing Chance at Week 1 Win

3. Matt Corral

Let’s talk about someone who didn’t even play on Sunday.

After an unexpected absence at Friday’s practice, speculation ran rampant regarding quarterback Matt Corral. New England then placed the young signal-caller on the exempt list this weekend and instead called up Bailey Zappe to serve as Mac Jones’ backup.

This situation is strange, and we don’t know much of what’s actually going on. Belichick refused to comment on it Monday, saying it’s a “personal matter.” He did mention the team is in contact with Corral, though.

Regardless, this puts Corral in a precarious spot. He was claimed by New England with the belief he’d be well suited for the QB2 role after Zappe and Malik Cunningham were demoted to the practice squad, though the team expressed some doubt he’d be ready for Week 1. It’s possible that didn’t make Corral the most thrilled.

For whatever reason Corral is away, whether that’s due to a personal or football issue, he’s missing valuable time with his new team. This gives Zappe another chance to lock down the backup spot, which could render Corral useless and lead to his exit.

Hopefully we get more clarity on Corral’s absence in the coming days and it’s not because of a dispute with the team. Otherwise, his Pats tenure may be over before it even started.

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