If the OL continues to suck, what are Zappe’s chances to make the 53?

[Force Zero Boomer]

I don't know why he is even taking reps from the other guys. All this crap about "showcasing" him or trying to drum up a trade market for what? A conditional 7th? The guy was available to anyone last year and no one wanted him. Since then he has produced some really crappy film and most around the league would assume he is cut regardless.

The obvious answer is staring you in the face: the Pats are seriously considering him for a roster spot. He'll likely be the primary backup to JB, and given the disaster of an OL we have, we're going to need more than one piece of cannon fodder to get through the season. Do you want Maye or Milton out there behind that sieve? JB is going to go get hurt at some point, and if they trot out the future of the franchise to take his spot, and then HE gets a serious injury, I'd love to be a fly on the wall as they explain to Kraft why Zappe *had* to be cut because he sucks and should have been cut a long time ago. I just can't imagine Wolf and Mayo running that risk during a season in which we have ZERO shot at winning even 8 games, let alone making the playoffs.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

No, it's not. It's not as if nothing has changed. We have new evidence that the OL is going to be at least as bad as we feared, and may be worse. We are seeing Zappe getting significant reps in practice and in one preseason game (tonight should be interesting). And, as another poster commented, we have the news of JJ McCarthy's season-ending injury, which is reminding some (and hopefully the Pats) that disaster is just one play away, and with an OL as bad as ours, that disastrous play is far more likely. The risk/benefit analysis says keep Zappe. We're going nowhere this year: roster spots aren't so precious. His teammates like him. And when JB is knocked out of the game after 7 hits and 5 sacks in the first half, we don't have to send out Drake Maye like a lamb to the slaughter. Zappe is an insurance policy for Drake.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

I wish Zappe well. He has made a heck of an effort, an admirable effort against tough odds, but he's got hard ceiling at - what? - the "adequate backup" level - maybe. Milton is an interesting enough prospect that he is worth keeping, and I think there is little chance he can be gotten to the practice squad. Given that this year is in my view entirely about next year and years following, you go with potential over demonstrated ability, particularly when the level of ability demonstrated is as low as Zappe's. Might it cost us a win if the worst (x2) happens and Milton starts before he is ready? Sure. And so what. Let's be honest: this year a notch up in the draft order is far more valuable than the measly satisfaction of winning three rather than two games. Besides - and this actually matters in the entertainment biz - Milton would be a lot more fun to watch, even in a loss, than Zappe would. Best of luck, Zapster, and sayonara.

You have Milton starting over Maye if Zappe's gone and JB goes down? Do you think Maye is going to take that well?

 

[SammyBlueCat]

I don't know... There's a lot of Zapa-holics in hiding...

 

[mgteich]

You have Milton starting over Maye if Zappe's gone and JB goes down? Do you think Maye is going to take that well?

better than spending a roster spot with the idea that Maye won't be ready even after Brissett injury.

Brissett is the starter. If Brissett is injured, then Maye will start. It really is that simple.

Mayo is not going to keep Zappe and make him the #2 QB. Is any other team willing to make him #2, or even #3?

 

[The Gr8est]

Yeah why would any team trade for him when putting him up on the trade block means the Pats are going to move him off the roster anyway. They can have him for free on waivers.

Not if a team lower in the claim order wants him.

Zappe is good enough to not clear waivers.

 

[mgteich]

Not if a team lower in the claim order wants him.

Zappe is good enough to not clear waivers.

Zappe wasn't worth a 7th last year. Maybe after his improved play in 2023, he will now be worth a 6th.

 

[sb1]

Not if a team lower in the claim order wants him.

Zappe is good enough to not clear waivers.

I think they'd still get him that way without having to trade us anything.

 

[Jim Beankie]

I don't know... There's a lot of Zapa-holics in hiding...

I've been out of the closet and full of pride, but the reality is, it's only gonna last another 10-12 days until cutdown. Milton was my draft Beankie, so my bet is fully hedged.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

better than spending a roster spot with the idea that Maye won't be ready even after Brissett injury.

Roster spots are not valuable this season. They are going nowhere this year. And check out the Cattle/Bedard podcast. He says that Maye is far away from playing.

Brissett is the starter. If Brissett is injured, then Maye will start. It really is that simple.

You know the ultimate depth chart? What’s your source?

Mayo is not going to keep Zappe and make him the #2 QB. Is any other team willing to make him #2, or even #3?

Why wouldn’t he? He has several good reasons to do so, including preventing the OL from being an accomplice in Maye’s demise.

What other teams would do is irrelevant (and something you don’t know). Your argument basically is “I think Zappe sucks, therefore Mayo doesn’t want him as #2, and no other team would want him as #2 or even #3! I think he’s really that bad.”

I happen to think he’s a decent backup. But my argument for him to stay does not depend on that.

If Zappe is so bad, why was he invited to camp? Surely they could have brought in a better player if Zappe is so bad. Don’t say camp arm: that argument doesn’t apply with the new PS rules.

 

[Kdo5]

Maybe being cautious with Maye makes sense. Look at J.J. McCarthy.

But that was an injury. Are the Patriots afraid of an injury to Maye or are they afraid of wrecking his confidence because he’s not ready?

Maybe both but I put more stock in the latter. I think they are traumatized by Mac turning into a puddle due to bad coaching and protection. And I think because of that they don’t want to have the same happen to Maye.

 

[Jim Beankie]

But that was an injury. Are the Patriots afraid of an injury to Maye or are they afraid of wrecking his confidence because he’s not ready?

Maybe both but I put more stock in the latter. I think they are traumatized by Mac turning into a puddle due to bad coaching and protection. And I think because of that they don’t want to have the same happen to Maye.

McCourty (the one with big D energy) may agree with you here:

McCourty believed that Maye saw limited reps in the first preseason game because the team is preparing for Jacoby Brissett to start Week 1.

“I think Mayo has said it, right now they don’t see Drake Maye as the starter. So they’re trying to develop a team that’s going to have Jacoby at the helm, but also trying to develop the number one pick,” McCourty said.

Given recent examples, like Zach Wilson and Sam Darnold with the New York Jets, McCourty believes it’s the right choice not to go with Drake Maye when the team around him isn’t ready yet.

“I think we've seen throughout the NFL when you put the young quarterbacks in there right away, and it just, it doesn't go well, and then it gets worse and worse as the season goes on. Sometimes those guys never recover.

“You look at Sam Darnold, who's getting a second chance now, but he got on the field early with the Jets, the team wasn't good around him, the offensive line, weapons, and then it didn't work out, and he was seen as a bust.”

Devin McCourty: Patriots are 'still trying to figure things out'

Former Patriot Devin McCourty joined The Greg Hill Show Wednesday during the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon and discussed the Patriots’ early struggles under new head coach Jerod Mayo.

www.audacy.com

 

[Kdo5]

McCourty (the one with big D energy) may agree with you here:

McCourty believed that Maye saw limited reps in the first preseason game because the team is preparing for Jacoby Brissett to start Week 1.

“I think Mayo has said it, right now they don’t see Drake Maye as the starter. So they’re trying to develop a team that’s going to have Jacoby at the helm, but also trying to develop the number one pick,” McCourty said.

Given recent examples, like Zach Wilson and Sam Darnold with the New York Jets, McCourty believes it’s the right choice not to go with Drake Maye when the team around him isn’t ready yet.

“I think we've seen throughout the NFL when you put the young quarterbacks in there right away, and it just, it doesn't go well, and then it gets worse and worse as the season goes on. Sometimes those guys never recover.

“You look at Sam Darnold, who's getting a second chance now, but he got on the field early with the Jets, the team wasn't good around him, the offensive line, weapons, and then it didn't work out, and he was seen as a bust.”

Devin McCourty: Patriots are 'still trying to figure things out'

Former Patriot Devin McCourty joined The Greg Hill Show Wednesday during the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon and discussed the Patriots’ early struggles under new head coach Jerod Mayo.

www.audacy.com

I know the media is screeching about this whole situation and I agree that in general the overall team situation doesn’t look pretty.

However in regard to Drake Maye, I’m not against them holding him out. If the OL isn’t ready, if the receivers can’t get open quick enough then Maye is very likely going to be ruined quickly.

I don’t know whether we have the right coaches to develop him but I trust that they see he is not ready and are taking the slow approach. Whether it works out or not I don’t know but it seems like the safer play especially if this team is looking at 2-5 wins.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

But that was an injury. Are the Patriots afraid of an injury to Maye or are they afraid of wrecking his confidence because he’s not ready?

Maybe both but I put more stock in the latter. I think they are traumatized by Mac turning into a puddle due to bad coaching and protection. And I think because of that they don’t want to have the same happen to Maye.

Before we got our first glimpse of the true state of the OL, I'd say it was 50/50ish. Now I think protecting Drake Maye has taken priority. I think they play it safe this season. Just a wee bit ago, I was saying he could start in the second half, but now... doubt, unless they whip that line into decent shape. They lack talent, and there's only so much coaching and scheming can do.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

However in regard to Drake Maye, I’m not against them holding him out. If the OL isn’t ready, if the receivers can’t get open quick enough then Maye is very likely going to be ruined quickly.

I'm beginning to think our receiver corps might be above average, but it's hard to say. I'll be happy to say I was dead wrong about Polk if he turns out to be the real deal.

 

[Sect140]

I hope he’s not, I thought they would’ve cut him already but if Mayo and AVP feel Maye isn’t ready to be the backup if JB gets injured early in the season then I think there’s a good chance they keep him.

 

[Kdo5]

I'm beginning to think our receiver corps might be above average, but it's hard to say. I'll be happy to say I was dead wrong about Polk if turns out to be the real deal.

Pop is very good. Polk seemed to be reliable in TC. I think it’s really an unknown, hopefully Baker shows up a little more than he has thus far.

 

[Grogan14]

Zappe will be gone by Sunday

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

Zappe will be gone by Sunday

And if he's not? Will you recalibrate your thinking or push the date?

 

[TomPatriot]

Zappe will be gone by Sunday.

I don’t think he fits the AVP mold, but he has some value. I think you’re right, but we’ll see.