5 Patriots Playing for Their Job in Preseason Week 1

Last week's Pro Football Hall of Fame Game means the 2024 NFL preseason is officially underway. The New England Patriots make their exhibition in a few days when they travel to face the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday.

Even though the results of preseason games don't mean much, it's still an important part of the football calendar. Roster locks like Rhamondre Stevenson and Drake Maye don't need to worry about their spots, however, a lot of fringe players must have strong exhibition performances to prove that they deserve to be a part of Jerod Mayo's 53-man squad.

Let's take a look at four Patriots who will be playing for their jobs against the Panthers this week.

1. Bailey Zappe, QB

A year can change a lot and nobody knows that better than Bailey Zappe. One after being a lock to be New England's No. 2 quarterback, Zappe finds himself near the bottom of the franchise's QB room following the offseason arrivals of veteran Jacoby Brissett, as well as rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton III.

The fact of the matter is that Zappe's 2023 performance was poor enough to land him in the doghouse. The Victoria, TX native left much to be desired in his 10 appearances (6 starts), completing only 59.9% of passes for 1,272 passing yards, six touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a 68.7 passer rating — the 10th-worst mark among 59 quarterbacks.

A strong offseason would've done a lot to erase any doubt among fans and coaches, but that hasn't been the case. Zappe hasn't looked that impressive in training camp and has even been outplayed by Milton, who's exceeded all expectations as a sixth-round pick. Chances are these two will see the brunt of snaps against the Panthers and, if that's the case, the elder arm doesn't have any room for mistakes.

After Mac Jones was sent packing earlier this offseason, Zappe is potentially on borrowed time with head coach Mayo at the helm. If the 25-year-old signal-caller looks similar as he did last year, we might not see him in New England for much longer.