In 2023, Mac Jones will be without a doubt the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback. But if Jones dies, who will be the next in line?
The Patriots allegedly claimed Matt Corral off waivers and added him to their practice squad on Thursday, which raised the intrigue surrounding that query. Along with fellow 2022 draft pick Bailey Zappe and rookie quarterback/wide receiver Malik Cunningham, the former Carolina Panthers quarterback gives New England three quarterbacks on its practice squad, one of whom will be called up before the start of the season to replace Jones, the lone quarterback currently on the 53-man roster.
Corral and Zappe, who the Patriots inexplicably dismissed after a lackluster preseason before adding him back to their practice squad, may face off in a meaningful competition while Cunningham has more developmental potential. How do the two QBs contrast then?
This was clarified by Phil Perry on Thursday’s Arbella Early Edition of NBC Sports Boston.
“You need a scout team quarterback who can move,” Perry said, as seen in the video player above. “They haven’t had one for a long time. They’re going to see mobile quarterbacks just about every other week in the NFL. So, (Corral) has some athleticism. He has a better arm than Bailey Zappe.
“Talking to my good friend Tom Curran earlier today, I said, ‘He sounds a little bit like Bailey Zappe on a Mario mushroom.’ He’s a little bit taller, he’s a little faster, his arm’s a little stronger. So, he’s a better physical prospect than Bailey Zappe.”
At Ole Miss, where he played as a senior, Corral was a genuine dual-threat quarterback, rushing for 614 yards and 11 touchdowns in 13 games and throwing for 3,349 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. At Western Kentucky, Zappe was a more productive thrower; in 2021, he set NCAA records for passing yards (5,967) and passing touchdowns (62).
The Panthers selected Corral in the third round (94th overall), ironically using a pick the Patriots had traded to them, while New England got Zappe with pick 137 in the fourth round. Corral is also the higher draft pick. However, Zappe does have experience at his advantage, since Corral will have a difficult time picking up Bill O’Brien’s offense.
“He’s going to have to deal with some of the things that Zappe has had to deal with this summer, which is, you’re coming from a very college (style) offense: everything spread out, a lot of RPOs,” Perry said of Corral. “He’ll be able to handle those RPOs that Bill O’Brien will throw at him, but how about the other stuff? Under center, footwork on big play-action shots down the field, turning your back to the defense. These are things that would be relatively new for him.”
As Perry made apparent, Corral and Zappe both appear to be career backups who, should they play, would be a major step down from Jones. Additionally, if Corral has difficulties adapting to the New England offense, the Patriots might decide to keep Zappe as their backup. However, Corral seems to have a little more potential than Zappe, so it’s worthwhile to give the 24-year-old a chance to establish himself.
