Felger & Mazz: Thoughts on the dynamic between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe
As New England Patriots training camp rolls on there seems to be an interesting dynamic between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. On Wednesday’s Felger and Mazz, the guys gave their thoughts on the relationship between Jones and Zappe.
Could a “competition” be pushing Jones in camp?
Jim Murray: Well, I think you have two guys here that are vying for the job and one guy who was drafted high in Mac Jones feels like the job should be his just based on his draft position and all the hype surrounding him when he came into the league. So I think what you make out of it is Mac Jones a little bit scared he might lose the job. And Bailey Zappe, to what Joe pointed out when he was down there at camp with Leroy Irvin a couple of weeks ago, feels like it’s an open competition and he could win the job. Look while I supported Brady at the time when it was going on with Garoppolo, if you’re secure in your position in any area of life, but especially as an NFL quarterback, if you’re secure in your position you don’t worry about someone coming to take it and alienating your coworker.
Felger: So you think it’s a bad look for Mac Jones?
Jim Murray: I think on the surface. But ultimately I think it could push him. Like this could make him dig a little deeper, whatever cliche you want to use, because he feels like he’s got someone breathing down his neck and he could lose the job. So maybe this pushes Mac Jones. It’s potentially a good thing.
New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe throws a pass as quarterback Mac Jones watches during 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Felger: What do you think, Joe?
Joe Murray: Yeah, that’s exactly what I’ve been saying. I thought when Zappe had that great day when I was there, I talked to him and he said it was a competition. Since then, Mac Jones has turned it on. He really has. And I think that’s what he’s here for. I think Belichick likes that. Just the whole not talking on the field is odd though. Like you watch some other camps and the backup quarterback and the quarterback are like best friends. They’re always trying to help each other. They get in the plays out there. So I don’t know if we’ll see one of them on Thursday night, but that’s something I want to look for. Are they together on the sideline? Are they working with the quarterbacks? But if there’s a little bit of “beef” between the two, I shouldn’t say “beef”, if they’re quiet to each other, I like it because it’s competitive. But I think right now it is fueling Mac Jones.
Felger: It feels to me that Mac Jones isn’t established enough or something. I don’t know. I don’t feel right. It just don’t feel right for Mac Jones to be coming off of the year that he came off of and to be treating anyone anywhere close to that. And I think he can’t stand the sight of him, and that is meaning Jones on Zappe, and I don’t know if that’s because of the Bears game or maybe he’s just transferring his feelings for the fans in the way that whole thing went down, you know, and he’s pissed at the whole situation and he’s taking it out on Zappe. Maybe. I could see that. Internally? Who the hell knows? Does Zappe carry himself a certain way where Mac’s like, “eff this kid?” Or it’s just pure competitiveness, which is good and healthy. But I don’t know.
Listen to Felger and Mazz from 2-6 every Monday-Friday on 98.5 The Sports Hub, with hosts Mike Felger, Tony “Mazz” Massarotti, and Jim Murray “Big Jim”. You can listen live in the Sports Hub App and subscribe to their podcasts here. Follow @FelgerAndMazz on Twitter to keep up with the show!
Here's what Bill Belichick thinks about a possible Jones-Zappe competition
You may have your own opinion on whether the New England Patriots have an open competition at quarterback, but what are Bill Belichick’s thoughts on the matter?
As you might expect, it’s necessary to read between the lines on Belichick’s comments, but the mere fact that he didn’t commit to Mac Jones as the Patriots’ starting quarterback suggests that the door is open at the position.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones throws a pass during 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
The question is how open. Right now, at best, it would be slightly ajar.
“Everybody is out here competing, all 90 guys,” Belichick said. “That’s what we’re all here for is to go out and compete.”
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick holds a morning press conference before 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Belichick wasn’t quite as talkative about the same question(s) as he was on SiriusXM NFL Radio with Pat Kirwan, but in neither comment did he say anything close to, “Mac’s our quarterback and that’s that.”
Nor does he have to commit to Jones as his starting quarterback. But it’s an indication that Belichick at least wants to create the illusion of a QB competition.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones looks to make a pass during 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
It just doesn’t appear that way based on reps in practice. Jones has taken all the snaps with the “1’s” so far in 2023 training camp in Foxboro. Zappe, meanwhile, has almost entirely repped with the 2’s, save for snaps here and there with projected starters mixing in at wide receiver, tight end, and running back.
Both quarterbacks have started to make more plays in team drills in recent days, including Sunday when both the 1’s and 2’s had their best practice in maybe a full calendar year.
New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe during 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Zappe has looked good in his own right, and he’s arguably looked better than Jones on throws to the back corner of the end zone. He had impressive connections with wide receivers Tyquan Thornton and Jalen Hurd in that area on Sunday. He said after practice he’s “about 100 percent more” comfortable than his rookie year.
“Just speaking from a defensive standpoint, being able to see defenses pre- and post-snap has been the biggest thing for me,” Zappe said. “And I think that translates to meeting with both Bills, watching more film, kind of just diving into the playbook and everything. It’s kind of slowed the game down for me.”
New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe makes his way to the practice fields for 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Despite Zappe’s strong Sunday, Jones was just as good, has been repping with the starters the whole time, and has stacked more good days than Zappe has on the whole. On Tuesday, Jones had one of his best practices of the off-season.
He led off 11-on-11 with a well-placed intermediate pass to DeVante Parker down the left sideline against rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez. He bookended with a “touchdown” pass to Hunter Henry over the middle in the back of the end zone during a late red zone period. He also completed passes to running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Kevin Harris, and tight end Matt Sokol.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones drops back to pass during training camp at Gillette Stadium. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Two incompletions by Jones in 11-on-11 were more the fault of the pass-catcher. Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was nearly jumped for an interception by Marcus Jones. Parker, meanwhile, had a potential touchdown broken up by Jack Jones on a short pass over the middle.
In both cases, I’d say the receivers need to fight more for the ball. They were both catchable, and the cornerbacks looked more motivated to make the play. Jones’ third incompletion, a leaping pass breakup by Mack Wilson Sr., looked like he could’ve put a little more air under the ball.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones throws a pass during training camp at Gillette Stadium. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
But overall, Jones has been better than Zappe at getting rid of the ball quickly and avoiding “sacks” in team drills. Their performance under duress has been hard to gauge with only one practice in full pads and a light practice at that. But Zappe has noticeably held the ball longer, while Jones has appeared to process his reads quicker.
And, as we can’t stress enough, Jones has been practicing with the starting offensive line and the first pass-catching group throughout camp. Zappe has practiced exclusively with the second group on the offensive line and almost exclusively backup pass-catchers, save for Parker, Gesicki, and Kendrick Bourne rotating in for a few snaps on Tuesday.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones throws a pass at minicamp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
That’s an important distinction from Jones’ rookie season in 2021, the last time we saw a real QB competition in Foxboro. Jones did at least work directly with the 1’s during team drills in camp. Cam Newton was first in line and got the majority of the reps, but Jones wasn’t going in blind after being named the starter.
If Zappe were named the starter on Tuesday, it would be surprising, because he hasn’t worked at all with the first group. So, we need to see Zappe actually practice with the 1’s before we become true believers in a competition.
New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe (4) throws a pass during 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
The biggest reason to hold onto the idea of a competition, besides Belichick leaving the door open for it, is that the two players are close from a physical standpoint. It’s not your typical starter/backup dynamic.
Zappe’s only clear disadvantage against Jones is his struggles with batted passes at the line of scrimmage. The arm talent is relatively close. Jones is and has been a little more mobile in the pocket, but neither QB is going to be mistaken for Lamar Jackson.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones throws a pass at minicamp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
So, I wouldn’t object to seeing how the offense looks with Zappe and the 1’s. Belichick hasn’t been inclined to do so, through six days of camp. Jones has ostensibly done enough to hold Zappe off from that.
Maybe that’s the way Belichick likes it. Don’t promise anything to Jones. Keep him working as if he needs to keep Zappe at bay. As long as Jones keeps getting all the starter reps, he’s going to do exactly that.
Jul 27, 2023; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick heads to the podium for a morning press conference before training camp at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Belichick probably just doesn’t want Jones to know that. Or any of us. So if you want the Pats to have a QB competition, just believe it in your mind, even if it’s not presenting itself in the real, physical world. Because that probably is what Belichick wants.
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